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
10 Blankets
30 Pairs of Shoes
30 pairs of socks
30 Uniforms sets
30 Bags
30 Notebooks
60 Pens
30 Mathematical Boxes
School fees for 30 kids

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.   

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