I left for college with this awareness top of mind. While afterwards I decided to go to business school and pursue a career on Wall Street, I always knew that one day I would work to provide women around the world with the educational opportunities I had had.
Fast-forward to 2011 when, after 24 years working at Merrill Lynch, I decided it was time to make a change. After exploring a range of organizations working towards social good, I came across Indego Africa. A nonprofit that was seeking to empower women in Rwanda through business and education? I was sold.
Three years later, and now as CEO, I have seen firsthand the power of this model to make a deep impact in the lives of women in Rwanda. Today, 64% of our artisan partners are the primary income earners in their families, 77% are able to send all of their children to school, and 90% can afford medical insurance. These are only a few examples of the ways in which these women are lifting themselves out of poverty and creating brighter futures for their families.
Spending time in Rwanda and meeting the incredible women we partner with, I have been deeply moved by their resilience, determination, and sheer ingenuity in the face of trying circumstances. Despite the different contexts in which we live, it is inspiring to be able to relate to one another over what it’s like to provide for a family, be a working mother, or make sacrifices for one’s children. One of the things I am most inspired by is just how far they have come with their educations.
With only a few years of basic education training, many of these women are “dreaming dreams they did not know it was possible to dream” (to quote from one of our artisan partners, Emelienne.) They have already begun to start new businesses and take on leadership roles in their communities. I am deeply proud that today, many of these women have asked us to help them take their educations to the next level.
That is why, this fall, we are launching a Leadership Academy to provide them with the advanced business and leadership training they need to thrive as successful, independent businesswomen and entrepreneurs. By empowering these women with the confidence and skills to assume enhanced leadership roles in their communities, we hope to grow the next generation of female leaders and change-makers in Rwanda.
I encourage you to think about what your education has done for you, and how much your support could do for these incredible women in Rwanda. The possibilities are endless.
Make their dreams a reality by donating to our Leadership Academy!
