Groupe Scolaire Bare (GS Bare), a 12-year basic education school in Mutendeli sector, Ngoma District, in Eastern Province received $6,000 (approx. Rwf7 million) to support the school’s feeding programme, thanks to a GoFundMe fundraising co-led by Olivia McAtee, a Wartburg College alumnus, and Jean Bikomeye, a Rwandan Public and Community Health PhD Candidate at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
ALSO READ: Rwandans in diaspora boost drive to light up vulnerable households
The duo met in the USA during their studies. The genesis of the fundraising to support the lunch programme was a visit to the school by a delegation of Wartburg College students and alumni on May 19, 2023.
The visit was a much-anticipated reward for the students who were at the end of an 18-day learning trip tour in Rwanda, during which the students met and interacted with President Paul Kagame in his office at Village Urugwiro on May 21.
Bikomeye, a native of Ngoma District, came up with an idea to mobilise funds to support children who cannot afford school feeding contributions.
Father Jean Damascene Maniraho, the school’s headmaster, had told the Wartburg scholars that some of his students come from families that struggle to afford the $20 per term for lunch fees due to financial limitations.
ALSO READ: Education Ministry calls for parents’ involvement in school feeding programme
According to the Ministry of Education, the government provides 90 per cent of the funding for the school feeding programme, while the role of parents is only 10 per cent for pre-primary and primary levels.
For secondary students, the government provides 15.7 per cent and parents contribute 84.7 per cent.
McAtee said her family, church and friends were very supportive of the fundraising idea. She said she was invited by the church’s preacher to speak to the members of the Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church in her hometown of Stuart, Iowa. Members of the church played a big role in mobilising the contributions.
"The donation we have received is enough to support over 100 students from families with financial limitations for the entire 2023/2024 school year,” said Father Maniraho.
McAtee stated: "It is only with the support and positive influence of these donors that this dream was made possible. Bikomeye created the idea, I created the GoFundMe link, and countless people created the successful outcome.”
"We are very grateful for GS Bare to have good partners supporting us. Our children will now focus on their studies in full tranquillity,” said Marcel Nzabonimpa, one of the parents who is a caretaker of three orphaned children.
Donat Nyirimpeta, Education Inspector at Mutendeli Sector, said the support is a boost for the school feeding programme.
"This support covering school feeding fees for 100 students is highly appreciated as both the government and parents continue working hard together to provide nutritious food to all students,” he said.
The cash donation was accompanied by over 2, 000 kilogrammes of dry beans, all locally produced to support not just GS Bare, but also local farmers.