Over the last 18 months, Don and Deborah Steely have made three volunteer trips to Kenya and Rwanda, two remarkably different countries. In Kenya, they’ve worked in two orphanges, a women’s prison, and with South Sundanese refugee women. In Rwanda, they are working with Rotary Kigali-Gasabo, government agencies, and other NGOs to start an English tutoring program similar to the StoveTeam model.

More abut Kenya and their work there:

  • Kenya is the size of Texas
  • Kenya has tropical temperate and mountain climates
  • The population is 45 million, 60% are under 25
  • The average woman has 4-5 children
  • Life expectancy is 61
  • Kenya has a presidential republic government – the president owns most of the land and companies and that family is worth about 500 million US dollars
  • Most Kenyans live very very poorly, barely making enough to feed poor quality food to their families
  • Capital is Nairobi and houses 3 million
  • Kenya is terribly corrupt. Infrastructure is terrible. Garbage is burned in the street. It’s a terrible environment.
  • There are 70 kids per classroom with teachers that are typically not dedicated because pay is poor
  • Cindi’s Hope is a Rotary sponsored program that runs two orphanages that take in orphaned and sexually abused boys and girls (150) and provides room, board, education and health care
  • The Steelys manage the education provided and train teachers/provide curriculum
  • Orphans typically come from refugee camps.
  • 2 million people have been displaced and 50,000 killed because of civil war and genocide.
  • $50/month provides room, board, health and education
  • $140 buys a Kindle for the libraries, which brings children all the books instead of trying to ship books in (expensive)
  • Women who have been rescued from genocide, or who are in the women’s prison, who have lost everything, are being rehabilitated to teach and speak English. They have such heart and hope and to be part of their lives is a gift (quote from Deborah Steely).

More abut Rwanda and their work there:

  • Rwanda is the land of 1,000 hills
  • It is the size of Maryland with a mild climate
  • 12 million people live in Rwanda, most are young
  • 80% are farmers, 45% live in poverty
  • Growth rate of the population is huge, but life expectancy is 59
  • Rwanda has a Republic government
  • The capital is Kigali which houses 1 million
  • Genocide is what most people know about Rwanda. In 1994, 1 million were killed, most with machetes. The world pretty much ignored it.
  • Ethnic discrimination started with Belgian control who required ethnic ID cards
  • When independence came, a military dictatorship took control and was backed by France and the church
  • By the time the dictatorship was defeated, Rwanda was a failed state and half of the population were refugees with no structure whatsoever
  • Rwanda is rebuilding – dramatically – it is remarkable
  • Restorative justice has reintegrated 100,000 prisoners. These are people that committed genocide. But they could not kill them so they have restored them.
  • Rwanda is clean and virtually corruption free. It is the safest country in Africa.
  • Everyone in Rwanda commits one day a month to community service
  • Rwanda is seeking non-aid investment. They want to be the IT and telecommunication center of Africa.
  • Poverty is down 15% and income is up 300%
  • The biggest remaining problems include poverty and lack of jobs, poor infrastructure, and education.
  • The average Rwandan has 4 years of education.
  • The national language switched from French to English in 2009 and 95% of the teachers have a marginal understanding of English and need to be certified.
  • The Steelys are attempting to establish English academies in Rwanda to be owned and operated entirely by Rwandans.
  • They will teach a group of young Rwandans world class English who will then teach other teachers. They will also teach them business skills and coach them to operate a business.
  • Rwanda is a model for what other African nations can do.