Success Stories
Since PREFER began there has been many success stories, here are only a couple of examples.....
Nyirandegeya Marie Louise....It's Never Too Late:
2012 was an exciting year for Nyirandegeya Marie Louise; it was her first year of school. Nyirandegeya is 21 years old and now attends grade 2 at Gashangiro Primary school just 3 blocks away from our preschool. She is living with a local family and PREFER assists her with a monthly allowance. Her report card for 1st term 2013 was 73%, and this year, 2019, Marie Louise continues with her studies...well done Marie Louise!
Thomas....from Street Boy to Self Sufficient:
We met Thomas thru our street children’s’ program; he had lost his family during the genocide. Thomas is a gentle kind young man so we hired him to be our bathroom monitor at preschool. He was wonderful at his job and the children were very happy to have Thomas there. After a few months Thomas came to me to say he was leaving his job. Thomas had had his left arm cut off at the elbow during the genocide and I was concerned he had a problem. Thomas told me he had saved enough money to open a small kiosk in town, selling candy, tissues, and a variety of goodies. We were all so very proud of him.
A few months later Thomas came to tell us that he had saved his money and was in the process of building a small house but he was short 2 sheets of tin roofing.
You have supplied Thomas with 2 sheets of roofing and he is now safely sleeping in his own home.
PREFER has helped Thomas open his own shop selling a variety of household goods. The shop is located 12 kms from Musanze in a vibrant area with many new homes and doing a booming business.
Munyaneza:
Street Children:
In 2009 PREFER began working with vulnerable youth within the Musanze District. Many had never attended school and could not read or write and were currently living on the street begging or stealing for food and sleeping on the sidewalks in front of businesses or in the taxi park. We offered the children a 3 month course in English and math and had 125 children register, ranging in ages from 6 years to 22 years of age. After the 3 months we were able to place 90 in various schools in the District. The local government made available 2 classrooms and 2 teachers in what was called “Catch Up Class” where students of any age could attend classes and attempt to catch up and re-enter regular classes. In the 10 years since PREFER began this program many changes have occurred for these children. Out of the original 125 children we first met 90 of them are attending school and living in a family environment, 14 of them were sponsored by PREFER for their secondary education and 5 are attending Vocational training. Some of the original 125 are now operating their own successful businesses. We meet every Saturday morning for porridge and bread, a game of football or an English lesson. PREFER continues to purchase all school supplies and medical insurance for any child attending classes This program has shown us how much a hand up can change a life, the title “Street Children” no longer applies.....we have all decided we are now known as The Saturday Morning Crowd!
