Music students get lunch and job skills

“As soon as they got their food, silence descended - except for the scraping of plates.  After they had taken a few mouthfuls of food, a gentle hum of chatter and laughter ensued.”

This observation is from Sophie, Network for Africa’s executive director who is currently visiting N4A’s projects in Rwanda and Uganda.  While it may seem like an ordinary lunch, it isn’t for the people partaking.  They are music students at the Rwanda Multi-Learning Centre.  Every student eating lunch that day had had no breakfast.  They reported to Sophie that they often go without eating for an entire day or even longer.  Painting a bleak image of her hand-to-mouth existence, one student reflects: “I eat what I have when I have it.  If I have no food, I don’t eat.”

With the help of N4A supporters, these students can now at least look forward to guaranteed meals on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Importantly, the Learning Centre is equipping the students with longer-term solutions, as well, by teaching skills such as English literacy, IT, and music, that will help them get jobs.  For example, singing and playing at weddings and other social events is a crucial part of Rwandan culture and offers employment opportunities for those trained in music.  An instructor at the Learning Centre says that students concentrate better after they have been fed, instead of being sluggish and falling asleep in class due to hunger.

The music lessons also bring hope to the students’ lives.  They told Sophie that they loved to dance and sing; it makes them – orphans struggling with poverty and the legacy of genocide – feel happy and relaxed. 

“Once they finished their meals they all cleaned the plates themselves and put them back into the big box. They kept thanking Francoise and Alice, the cooks.”

The people we work with in Africa don’t want handouts.  They are willing to work hard and take responsibility for themselves.  They only need a chance. 

N4A is happy to be working with our partners in Africa, providing education and skills training for genocide survivors, and the practical help that gives people enough of a boost to pull themselves out of the cycle of poverty.

You can give online to Network for Africa to help support students in Rwanda.

All photos by Melissa Musgrove.

Women's bakery receives cooperative status, praise from mayor

Members of the Wanda Bakery cooperative

Wanda Bakery has received full national cooperative status yesterday, under the name “Wanda Bakery Developing Lives.”  Alice Gikundiro, President of Wanda Bakery, was given a signed and stamped copy of the registration from the mayor’s office.  Alice says the Bakery has helped her and others “make a living and become an independent and successful woman.”

The mayor expressed his congratulations and support for Wanda Bakery.  He was especially pleased that Wanda Bakery was offering the community a product – baked goods – that other cooperatives are not.

The sector level government offices also invited four of the Bakery’s staff for a training course last week, where they learned more about managing their cooperative.

The national cooperative status is good for two years. After one year, local government inspectors will visit the Bakery to observe its activities and ensure the Bakery is fulfilling its statutes.

Wanda Bakery grew from a women’s discussion group called Women Developing Rwanda, which was part of Network for Africa’s Rwanda Multi-Learning Centre.  It has been operating has a bakery since 2009.  The women of the Bakery re-invest a percentage of their profits back into their business, with some support from Network for Africa, as well.  The Bakery business plan is to eventually open a small restaurant that will sell traditional Rwandese food, in addition to baked goods.

All photos by Melissa Musgrove.  Click here to see more pictures of Wanda Bakery.