Become a Sponsor

Help A child Reach their Dream

If your heart longs for you to share some

of your good fortune with others,

knowing that it will go to the right hands,

you have come to the right place!

Current School Costs in Rwanda

Children in Rwanda go to school in trimesters that begin on the

1.st September, 1st. January and 1st of April respectively.

Primary School Costs: 150000 Rwf (ca.85 GBP) per term

High School Costs*: 300000 Rwf (ca. 170 GBP) per term

University: 255- 385 GBP (depending on course) per term

Primary School and High School both last 6 years

University lasts 4 years

These costs include a stipend for the child that covers books, school uniforms and other basic needs.

* We send children to Boarding School as it is a better option for children. The children we choose to support are living in poverty and school fees are not enough to put food in their bellies. Whereas staying at home often time means being distracted by house chores, helping out with younger siblings and having to deal with the emotional challenges of their family, going to Boarding School ensures their school materials are covered, there is food in their belly, they can focus on their studies and they get to be children amongst other children (away from the challenges of their home environment).

When you decide to sponsor a child you commit to paying these fees three times a year. It will cover their school materials and uniform as well.

We encourage each sponsor to have direct contact with the child, however, if that feels too much of a commitment, it is not a requirement. Please contact us, so we can have a talk about everything you might need to know!

“It may seem that helping just one child,

won’t do much, because we (of course!)

need a systemic change to address the inequality in the world.

However, from my own experience I know that helping

one person is helping many, because

it creates ripple effects of kindness and generosity…

and that’s how we build a new culture,

a new way of relating to each other,

that has the power to change systems and with that the world.”

Kasia Patzelt

A note about and from Jonas

Since Jonas has received his education people from his community started coming to him and asking for help.

‘Maybe just maybe he knows of someone who could sponsor their child too?’

These people are usually very desperate, living in poverty and struggling to even feed their children. (Much of it are still the ripple effects of the genocide that happened only 30 years ago.)

Jonas has been putting his whole heart into helping as much as he can: reaching out to his network, setting up calls between sponsors and the children (many don’t have a phone nor do they speak English), and collecting the money from the bank, making sure that it goes to the right place. Above all he has been giving hope to all who come to him.

His motto is: Believe in your dreams!

Here is a personal video he has recorded, so you get to meet and feel him.

Even though Jonas now holds a bachelor degree in Economics, he still hasn’t been able to find a job. His dream, however, is to take his tour guide business to the next level and set it up in a way that will support this charity, too. For this he is looking for an investor. (read more)

He hasn’t been receiving any payment for his work helping the children and relies on the generosity of donations to keep himself, his mother and 3 siblings afloat.

Hence any extra support towards him is very appreciated.

FAQ for Sponsors

1. How will I know for sure my funds go to the child?

– Each sponsor receives a school receipt of payment for the school term. Depending on how connected and engaged you want to be with the child, you will either be able to directly talk to them or receive a letter from the child describing their school experience.

2. I want to sponsor a child but am hesitant to commit

as I don’t know if I will be able ensure the support for a long period of time?

– This is such a common concern that is totally understandable. The part to remember here is that each donation is already a gift and a bonus even if you have to discontinue the support. We all know that circumstances change and even with our best intentions sometimes we are unable to help. On the other hand, there was times when Kasia was struggling to pay the fees for Jonas too and since she was committed she asked her friends and family to help her out and somehow it always worked out. One thing to remember that even though we might feel less abundant at times, most of us have still access to a network or community, which people, especially children, living in poverty usually don’t have. Word of mouth is the most effective way to get people’s support in a cause and telling all your friends about what you are doing can create a solid network of support that doesn’t depend on one person alone. Having said all this, if there is no way for you to continue we do ask you to let us know at least 3 months in advance so we have enough time to try and find another sponsor. On a personal note, this is a good practice to let go of any feelings of guilt, too, and to celebrate the fact that you were able to help even for a short period of time.

What Do I Do Next?

The best next step is to personally contact us, so we can meet and feel each other.

And so you can ask all the questions you may have.

We are now a legally registered charity in the Uk run entirely by volunteers. Our board includes three members in the Uk, one in Canada, one in the Netherlands and our CEO, Jonas, in Rwanda. We are currently in the process of registering our charity in Rwanda. Our goal is to eventually have everything set up there and have our graduate students be part of the organisation.

Please get in touch, it will be a pleasure to meet you!