January 2011: Julie Epp's description of visiting Rwanda and the Centre: "I am an artist and photographer from Toronto, Canada, also studying art therapy and narrative therapy. I was fortunate enough to travel to Rwanda in November 2010 for a training program in narrative therapy with the Dulwich Centre (Narrative Therapy Centre in Australia), Ibuka (Rwanda counsellors for genocide survivors), Evanston Family Therapy Center (USA) and a group of counsellors from around the world. "Before leaving Canada, I wanted to find something to bring to Rwanda that would be helpful. I did a little research and found out that there were a shortage of shoes and that many of the children in Rwanda didn't have any. So, I collected shoes from many generous friends and colleagues in Toronto. While searching for who I would give the shoes to, I found out about the Street Kids of Rwanda and was inspired by their story. I arrived in Kigali with 60 pairs of shoes to donate to the center. "During my first visit to drop off the shoes at the Kimisagara Centre, my classmate Hilda and I arrived at night. As we climbed the hill to the centre, we were met with darkness, as we learned there is no electricity. But soon the children started arriving with candles - it was a magical experience. We decided then to return to the centre a few days later to visit in the daylight and spend time with the children. We returned a few days later (with a few more international classmates from Canada and France) to meet the children, tour the facilities and talk with Antoine and some of the other staff. During these two visits, I learned more about the organizations mission to help the children and wanted to continue to help from home. I find immense hope in the work that this organization is doing and in the smiling faces of the children. "Back in Canada I am now working to try to raise funds for the Street Kids of Rwanda Organization. I have created a book with information about the organization, which includes photos from our visits there. I look forward to one day going back to Rwanda to see the kids again." ~ Julie Epp |
Julie's Book
|
January 2011:
|
Thanks to Hilda Nanning, Julie Epp, and Pierre Blanc-Sahnoun for taking pictures, writing music and producing a slide show of their visit to the Centre in November 2010.
|
December 2010: Antoine gathers with some of the kids for a picture, the Centre on the hill, and a volunteer who lives at the Centre with one of the kids.
|
|
November 2010: The Centre was visited by two Canadians, Hilda Nanning and Julie Epp. Hilda describes their time at the Centre: "In November of 2010, a group of international support workers, therapists and social workers came together in Kigali to support the work of a group of local counsellors who are working with people who have been impacted by genocide. I was one of these workers and had come to Kigali from British Columbia, Canada in support of this work. My roommate was Julie. I met Julie for the first time and was surprised to see what seemed to be an excessive amount of luggage she was travelling with. When I inquired around the 3 giant bags she had brought with her, she told me the story of her effort to bring shoes for the street children of Rwanda that she had been gathering as donations from her colleagues and friends, as she had heard that there was a need. I was impressed with the tenacity and determination of this young woman who had never been to Africa. After our long day of work a few days later, Julie and I set out to find the Street Children of Rwanda Center. This proved to be an adventure and experience that greatly impacted our understanding of courage, survival and humanity. "We were met on the road by Antoine, the founder of the children’s center and as he guided us up the narrow pathway, the children began to greet us along the way, until finally at the top of the hill - we were met with candles and more curious little faces. As dark descended we finally arrived at the center to find the unfurnished rooms and little lives Antoine and his staff work so hard to support. We exchanged the shoes for stories of the children’s subsistence and a shared appreciation of the generosity and compassion that surrounded us. As we were guided back down the steep hill towards our taxi, we decided to make every effort for another visit before leaving Rwanda, this time with a few more friends and some music to share with the children. We were greatly touched by our visit to the Children’s center and would like to continue to support Antoine, his staff and the volunteers – in their efforts to provide food, care and kindness for these little innocent beings that are so very deserving of safety and love. We hope you will find a way to do so too." Hilda Nanning Vancouver, BC, Canada |
|
February 2009: Volunteers are having to rebuild a portion of a retaining wall above the Centre that collapsed because of heavy rains. |
 |
January 2009: The Centre has started a business selling car parts as a way of earning money and giving some of the older children an opportunity to learn car mechanics. The Centre was given a garage space, and funding from a donor in England has allowed the Centre to purchase supplies for the shop. |
|
February 2008: In February, the Kimisagara Centre continued to benefit from the Christmas fund raisers, and our volunteers were able to purchase new clothes for the children (pictured at right), as well as three large cooking pots, and more mattresses for the new centre. An anonymous donor from a local church in Rwanda donated some new shoes for the children, a gift for which we are very grateful. |
|
January 2008: The volunteers and the children would like to give their deepest thanks to those who supported us at our Christmas fund raisers. The $1500 raised at the concerts have enabled 71 children to go to school for the next year along with most of the needed school supplies. The break down is as follows using current (January 20, 2008) exchange rates: $242 Primary school fees for 66 children $480 Secondary school fees for 5 children (secondary school fees are so high that we can currently send only 5 of our brightest students. If you would like to sponsor a child please contact us.) $127 went to health care for Olive, a young girl who suffered a serious back injury in September. Her treatment and care are ongoing. A portion of the money bought sewing machines for vocational training (pictured at right), school supplies (bottom right), as well as shoes, an ever-present need at the center. Enough food to last through February 2008 has been donated by the district authority, and we are very grateful for their gifts of 150 kg of rice, 150 kg of sugar, 100 kg of beans, and 100 kg of maize and soaps, some of which are shown in the picture at right. Though the new building at Kimisagara has been completed, funds are still needed to cover water and electricity. We are also exploring ways to give stipends to our hardworking volunteers in Rwanda, without whom the center could not exist and who need to provide for themselves and their families. Please get in touch if you are able to offer assistance of any kind or if you would like to organize a fundraiser. |
|
December 2007: Street Kids Benefit Concerts: Fundraiser at Nottingham Community Universalist Church in Nottingham, New Hampshire The Nottingham Community Universalist Church in Nottingham, New Hampshire will host a Christmas benefit concert for Street Kids of Rwanda on Friday, December 14th at 7:00 PM. The concert will feature Dominique Dodge Matteson on harp and voice. Joining Dominique on Scottish pipes and whistles is Myles Matteson. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person. Fundraiser at Charlotte Congregational Church in Charlotte, Vermont On December 15th, the Charlotte Congregational Church will host a Christmas benefit concert for Street Kids of Rwanda. The concert features a mix of Scottish and Cape Breton music and traditional Christmas carols. Performers include Dominique Dodge Matteson (harp and song), Tim Cummings (whistle and bagpipes), Pastor Will Burhans (voice and guitar), Mike Burris (guitar), Beth Telford (fiddle), Annemieke Spoelstra (voice), Sam and Paula Guarnaccia (guitar and narration), Doug Webster (Highland Bagpipes), Heather Morris (highland dance) and Pete and Karen Sutherland (voice, fiddle, guitar, piano, banjo, and autoharp). |
|
November 2007: Volunteer Heather Metcalfe Joins Street Kids in Kigali At the beginning of November Heather Metcalfe, a graduate of New York Law School and Loyola Marymount University, traveled to Kigali to volunteer with Street Kids of Rwanda. She is helping with organization and administration, as well as teaching classes, and collecting pictures and videos from the Street Kids community. |
 |
September 2007: Canterbury Children's Center Students Donate $170 to Street Kids of Rwanda The children raised the money themselves by selling produce from their garden. The funds were matched by an anonymous donor. The money arrived in Rwanda just in time to cover the medical bills of one of the girls at the Kimisagara Center who had suffered a serious back injury. She must wear a back brace until she is fully recovered. |
 |
June 2007: Canterbury Children's Center Dominique Dodge Matteson visited the Canturbury Children's Center in New Hampshire, an alternative school for children in grades 1 to 3, where she gave a presentation on Street Kids of Rwanda. |
|
March 2007: Street Kids Benefit Concerts Raise $800 Between March 23rd and 31st, 'The Revenants' performed at various venues in Vermont and New Hampshire to raise money for Street Kids of Rwanda. Singer and harper Dominique Dodge, singer and Appalachian musican Vanessa Batts, and bagpipers Tim Cummings and Myles Matteson performed with other guest musicians in Charlotte and a few other locations near Burlington, Vermont, as well as in Jackson, New Hampshire. |
 |
February 2007: Visit the Street Kids of Rwanda MySpace page Thanks to Stephen Seper for creating this website! Become a friend of Street Kids of Rwanda on MySpace and view more pictures and videos. Visit it by clicking here. |
 |
January 2007: Charlotte Congregational Fundraiser sends 30 kids to school Street Kids of Rwanda received $946 from the Charlotte, Vermont Congregational Church Christmas concert fundraiser and was able to pay for school fees and supplies for thirty children. We were also able to buy mattresses and blankets. The Charlotte Church fundraiser enabled the following purchases: 10 Mattresses This is a great achievement and we would like to thank the Charlotte community for their support. There are still 45 children at the Kimisagara Centre who are unable to attend school. If you are interested in sponsoring a child or holding a fundraiser please contact us. |
|
December 2006: Fundraiser at Charlotte Congregational Church in Charlotte, Vermont On December 16th, the Charlotte Congregational Church hosted a Christmas benefit concert for Street Kids of Rwanda. Combined ticket sales and donations for the event raised $946. This money will provide food, school fees, clothes, and other necessities for the children in the coming months. The concert featured a mix of Scottish and Cape Breton music and traditional Christmas carols. Performers included Dominique Dodge Matteson (harp and song), Tim Cummings (whistle and bagpipes), Myles Matteson (whistle and bagpipes), Beth Telford (fiddle), Jim Green (guitar), Sam and Paula Guarnaccia (guitar and narration), and Pastor Will Burhans (voice and guitar). |
 |
Street Kids of Rwanda would like to thank Tim Cummings for organizing the concert, and Pastor Will Burhans and his congregation for their kindness and generosity in hosting this event. Though Street Kids of Rwanda is a registered NGO in Rwanda, we are not yet incorporated as a nonprofit in America. Currently, we are only able to accept and send donations through other US charities. If your church, charity, or community would like to sponsor a similar concert or fundraiser, please contact Dominique or Myles. |
|
