https://www.giftsrwanda.org/, https://giftsrwanda-bloom.kindful.com/

GIFTS Rwanda, Rugari (2026)

07/05/2026

Last week, on May 1st, the GIFTS Rwanda team and community came together to celebrate International Workers’ Day (Labour Day)! 🎉❤️

It was a joyful and meaningful day filled with:
⚽ Football
🎶 Singing
💃 Dancing
🎲 Games
🫶 Fellowship & conversation

There was so much laughter, connection, and celebration throughout the day—a beautiful reminder of the strength of community and the joy found in simply being together. 🌍✨

During the celebration, we also took time to remember Sharon, the founder of GIFTS Rwanda, and honor the vision, compassion, and love she poured into this work. Her legacy continues to live on through the lives being impacted every day. ❤️

We’re excited to share photos and videos from the celebration with you! 📸🎥 Every picture tells its own story, and we look forward to sharing more reflections and participant messages once they’ve been translated into English.

None of this would be possible without your support. Thank you for helping create spaces where people feel valued, connected, and filled with hope. 💛

Celebration Together

01/05/2026

Because of you, lives are changing in real, tangible ways. ❤️

✨ Shakilla can now see clearly after receiving the eye medicine she needed—and she’s thriving in school.
�🧵 Our tailoring program is growing, now welcoming interns from other schools eager to learn.
�🤝 Local leaders visited and recognized the impact happening in our community.
�👶 And baby Peace is now 9 months old… standing strong and thriving!

Each of these moments tells a bigger story—of hope, dignity, and opportunity being restored.

👉 Read the full stories and see more photos here: https://www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/lives-changed-hope-growing-because-of-you

Thank you for being part of this work—we couldn’t do it without you.

14/04/2026

Kwibuka 32 marks 32 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—a time to remember, unite, and renew.

Last week in Rugalika, our students didn’t just learn about history—they lived what it means to honor it.
They helped prepare a memorial site where lives were lost…

They wrote letters filled with gratitude and hope…
And they visited a survivor’s family—offering love so deeply felt it brought tears.

This is what remembrance looks like in action.

Because of you, these students are not only receiving an education—they are becoming leaders of a more compassionate future.

Click here to read the full story www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/kwibuka-32-remember-unite-renew-together or in IG click link in bio. Swipe to see these powerful moments. ❤️

08/04/2026

Because of you, something truly life-changing is taking shape in Rugarika.

Do you remember Jacques and Eric? These are two young men navigating incredibly difficult circumstances, yet holding tightly to hope, education, and the belief that their future could be different.

Here is a photo of Jacques with Al and me, as well as a photo of Eric with his siblings. Many of you walked with us through their stories—feeling their resilience and choosing to be part of their journey.

Today, we get to share something beautiful:

Their home is being built.

We have secured a wonderful piece of land, just a short distance from the GIFTS Rwanda Community Center—a place already filled with support, connection, and opportunity. And now, right there in the heart of this growing community, the walls of a duplex are rising.

This is a place that will soon mean safety.�Stability.�Belonging.

As you look through the photos we’ve included, you’ll see more than construction—you’ll see progress made possible by your generosity.

Construction is moving quickly, and we anticipate the home will be completed in about a month. In just a few short weeks, Jacques, Eric, and Eric’s siblings will have a safe place to lay their heads at night—a place where they can focus on school, dream about their futures, and simply be kids again.

Even more powerful? This home will continue to give.�In time, it will open its doors to others in need—children, young mothers, families—extending your impact far beyond this moment.

That is the kind of change you’ve made possible.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for seeing Eric and Jacques, for believing in them, and for turning compassion into action.

We can’t wait to share the moment they walk through their front door for the very first time.

26/03/2026

A few days ago, something really special happened.

A group of students supported by GIFTS Rwanda walked into the lobby of the TR5 Hotel — the place where they will now be studying hospitality.

For me, this moment felt especially meaningful. This is the same hotel where I stayed during my visits to Rwanda. Standing there before, I never imagined that one day students from our village would be walking through those same doors, not as guests — but as future hospitality professionals.

Four of the students were able to visit that day. One more will be joining them tomorrow.

They met the management team, explored the space, and began to picture what their future could look like.

Then came their first official day.

When they arrived in their uniforms, they looked confident, professional, and ready for the opportunity ahead.

Brigitte shared something that really stood out to us:
This is the first time she has seen students who are truly passionate about what they are studying.

That passion is exactly why this work matters.

These students are not just receiving education — they are building futures.

And something else exciting is happening behind the scenes.

Brigitte and Paterne recently began their own ICT (Information and Communication Technology) training. This program helps them strengthen their digital skills so they can continue growing as leaders and educators in the community.

Thanks to the generosity of Alan Shelton, they are now participating in:
• 120 hours of instruction
• 12 weeks of training
• Classes twice per week

After just the first week, they are already feeling more confident using computers and excited to learn more.

This is what real, sustainable change looks like.

It starts with opportunity.
It grows through education.
And it continues because people like you believe in this work.

If you would like to help us continue supporting students like these and expanding opportunities in Rwanda, you can learn more and support the work using the link in bio or clicking here: www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/a-new-chapter-begins-hospitality-trainingducationchangesli-at-tr5-hotel

Thank you for being part of this journey.

12/03/2026

❤️ Over 500 people gathered in Rugarika, Rwanda to celebrate women.

More than 500 community members came together at the GIFTS Rwanda Community Center to celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme:

✨ “A Woman is of Great Value.” ✨

The day was filled with dancing, community celebration, honoring outstanding women, showcasing products made by women in our programs, and distributing goats to families in need to help support sustainable income and nutrition.

We were also deeply honored to be recognized by local government leaders for promoting development and continuing to support women in the community.

This beautiful celebration is a reminder that when women are empowered, entire communities flourish.

❤️ Click the link below or in our bio of IG to read the full story and see more photos from this incredible day.
https://www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/a-powerful-international-womens-day-500-gather-at-gifts-rwanda

Thank you to everyone who makes this work possible.

08/03/2026

Today, on International Women’s Day, we pause to celebrate the strength, resilience, and courage of women around the world — and especially the incredible women of Rugarika, Rwanda.

At GIFTS Rwanda, women are at the heart of everything we do. They are mothers, farmers, business owners, caregivers, leaders, and change-makers. When a woman is empowered, an entire family — and community — rises with her.

Today, we are celebrating in a tangible way. At our GIFTS Rwanda Community Center, we are hosting a special gathering to honor the women in our community. Together, we will share encouragement, community, and hope.

We are also gifting goats to several women — a powerful and practical investment. A goat provides nutrition through milk, creates income opportunities, and offers long-term sustainability for families working hard to build a better future. It’s more than a gift — it’s a pathway to stability and dignity.

Because of your generosity, moments like this are possible. You are helping create opportunity, independence, and lasting change.

I look forward to sharing photos and stories from the celebration in the coming week so you can see the joy and impact firsthand.

Today, we celebrate the women of Rwanda — and we celebrate you for standing beside them.

04/03/2026

🐐 Two goats returned.
🌱 Gardens beginning to bloom.
🧵 Women building new skills.
💛 And baby Peace at 7 months old — our tiniest mascot.

At GIFTS Rwanda, we’re watching sustainability multiply in the most beautiful ways.

On March 8, we’ll celebrate International Women’s Day by passing two goats on to new beneficiary families — a powerful example of women empowering women.

Read the full update and see the photos on our blog by clicking link in IG bio or clicking here:
www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/baby-peace-two-goats-returned-and-so-much-growth

25/02/2026

✂️ 21 new students.
🧵 41 total trainees.
🌍 One growing ripple effect in Rwanda.

For the first time, graduates of Rwanda’s national Urugerero program have chosen to pursue tailoring training at GIFTS Rwanda — and we welcomed 21 of them into our program this season.

One student shared she enrolled after seeing how a previous GIFTS Rwanda tailoring graduate transformed her family’s living conditions. That’s the kind of impact that multiplies.

With demand growing, we’ve expanded into morning and afternoon shifts — and the classroom is thriving. Students are collaborating, sharing equipment, and building skills that will lead to real income and long-term sustainability.

Vocational training isn’t just about sewing.
It’s about dignity.
It’s about opportunity.
It’s about changing the future of families.

✨ Read the full story and see photos from the training on our blog using link in bio or clicking here: www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/21-new-students-begin-tailoring-training-at-gifts-rwanda

Thank you for being part of this impact. 💛

12/02/2026

Hi friends,

This season in Rugarika has been full of powerful moments — the kind that remind us why this work matters so deeply.

Because of your support:

🎓 Students were given school uniforms so they can walk into class with confidence and dignity.
🐐 Families received goats that provide sustainable income and nourishment.
🤝 Parents gathered for meaningful conversations about how to stay closely connected and supportive in their children’s daily lives.
And we captured a beautiful video testimony from Justin, a 20-year-old student whose life was changed through the educational support of GIFTS Rwanda. His story is one you won’t want to miss.

These photos and stories are powerful — and they show exactly what your generosity is making possible.

👉 Click link here to read the full blog post and watch Justin’s inspiring video: https://www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/growing-hope-in-rugarika-goats-education-and-the-power-of-community

Thank you for being part of this growing impact in Rwanda. The hope is real. And it’s growing.

22/01/2026

🚀 2025 Was a Year Like No Other for GIFTS Rwanda!

We accomplished more than ever before—supporting students, empowering women, building homes, expanding community programs… and so much more.

✨ And the icing on the cake? GIFTS Rwanda was honored with FOUR official awards from the Rwandan government for our work improving lives and uplifting communities.

Curious to see all the lives changed, projects completed, and milestones reached this year? 🌱💛

👉 Click link 🔗 in bio to read the full 2025 Year in Review on our blog or go here: www.giftsrwanda.org/blog/see-the-lives-youve-transformed-2025-gifts-rwanda-year-in-review

CommunityChange

GIFTS Rwanda

07/05/2026

01/05/2026

14/04/2026

08/04/2026

26/03/2026

12/03/2026

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