Rwanda Blog

Goats to Itorero, the Dancing Co-op

Bringing a goat to a family means bringing a job, hope, confidence, and happiness in that family, and respect and honor in the community. In June of 2017, 76 beautiful little goats were delivered to Itorero Nyarwanda (“Rwandan Dancers”) Cooperative, one of the new communities within Never Again Fellowship. Itorero was founded in 2017 by a group of young people whose parents were members of Imbereheza Cooperative. Their primary business is singing and dancing at weddings and other celebrations. They are also working on farming as part of their economy. As it is with other cooperatives supported by WD4H, Itorero is focusing on organic farming, no chemicals in their crops. For them to make this happen, they need livestock to produce fertilizer. They can also sell baby goats to earn money.

Continue Reading

Two Weeks Time

Anything tastes better with gratitude. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cup of weak, instant coffee, or a boiled egg; or the avalanche of bananas gifted to us, which we’re still finding–like leftover confetti–in every nook and cranny of our personal belongings. When it’s given with sweetness, it’s heaven on earth.

Continue Reading

In[ter]dependence Day

…a day at the stadium was a breath of fresh air; or a breath of dingy air, rather, after we observed the black flume of smoke curling up over the top of the stands. According to Edwin, the 18-year-old wünderkid who acted as our translator for most of the ceremony, the fire has been burning for 3 months straight, marking the duration of the genocide. Tonight, along with most of the Kigali population, it will go out.

Continue Reading

Away to Rwanda

Jenna, Janet, Marisia, Zoraida, Danna, and Debra leave Janet’s house and head to the airport to begin their long trip to Rwanda!                The group made it to the airport safely, and continued the photo fun.           The group made it to Istanbul safely, but not in time for the connecting […]

Continue Reading

Muraho!

As the sun sets on Sunday in Rwanda, our second full day here, we are exhausted–but unbelievably happy!–as we reflect on all that has already happened. Expect a full report in the days to come as we get more settled, but for the time being, here are some snippets from our time here so far: […]

Continue Reading

One Night in Istanbul

One thing I’ll say for our brains: occasionally, when we go through something horrendous, they’ll stitch a quilt of blessed forgetfulness over the place that remembers how awful it was, allowing us to move forward—tender, but numb. Dumb. How else do you explain women who deliver thirteen babies, or families who visit theme parks on […]

Continue Reading

Sherry Begins Her Rwanda Trip

World Dancer Sherry Robin began her Rwanda journey almost a week before the other travelers.  She arrived in Rwanda last Thursday, and has been busy visiting the different coops. The rest of the World Dance travel group can’t wait to join her!        

Continue Reading

Meet the Rwanda Travelers! Thank you In-Kind Donors!

Seven World Dancers: Zoraida Abresch, Debra Geiger, Marisia Gonzales, Danna Mead, Janet Reineck, Sherry Robin, and Jenna Tico, have been preparing since March for a two-week trip to Rwanda to visit the communities we serve. As our departure date approaches, we’ve been gathering donations of supplies we will give the leaders of the cooperatives who will distribute to the members most in need.

Continue Reading