GEI homestay review (Kigali, Rwanda) Since many students ask us what a homestay experience is really like, we've asked a recent Rwanda intern from Georgetown University, Siddharth Muchhal, to share his thoughts. Here is what he says: Sidd, tell us more about why you came to Rwanda this summer? This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Akazi Kanoze Access, a youth development NGO in Kigali, Rwanda. Initially, I was considering finding an apartment with my colleague, so ... Read More
Blog
Mental Health internships & volunteer placements (Rwanda)
Expanding placement opportunities for interns and volunteers This summer, we are greatly expanding our collaboration with the University of Rwanda's Center for Mental Health (CMH). Following the Global Mental Health Conference in Kigali (June 24-July 1), students and professionals in mental health are invited to gain invaluable practical experience during a 4-week or 8-week summer internship or volunteer placement. The host organizations include a dozen Rwandan NGOs or hospitals, ... Read More
International Business Faculty Development Program in Rwanda
George Washington University & University of South Carolina bringing business professors to Rwanda This January, we had the pleasure to co-host an International Business Faculty Development Program in Rwanda with the CIBERs of George Washington University and the University of South Carolina. CIBERS (Centers for International Business Education and Research) seek to improve research and business knowledge capacity amongst professors and students. In this case, 21 international business ... Read More
Expanding Drama-Based Education (DBE) to Kenya
Interview with Sean Anderson in Kenya In 2017, our Drama-Based Education (DBE) teacher trainings in Rwanda will expand further and reach various new schools in Muhanga and Gasabo. And we're excited to also launch a second destination in East Africa - Kenya! The DBE work in East Africa is a partnership between GEI and the Anne Frank Project at SUNY-Buffalo State. In Kenya, the main hosts will be Woodland Star International School in Limuru near Nairobi as well as the Mara Naboisho ... Read More
Taking Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) to Tanzania
Interview with Patty Kelly, program leader in neonatal care In addition to our ongoing newborn care work in Vietnam and Rwanda, we have added two delegations for HBB Trainings of Trainers in Tanzania to the 2017 calendar. Both delegations (May 6-13 and Oct 14-21) will be led by our lead master trainer, Patty Kelly, who has selected the partner hospital in Mwanza where she has taught before. We have interviewed Patty on this exciting development. Her insights offer more context as well ... Read More
Mental Health Facilitator program update
Interview with Dr. Callie Scott, NBCC delegation co-leader to Rwanda In 2016, our MHF work in Rwanda with the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the University of Rwanda reached new levels of sustainability. The first two cohorts of Rwandan and international mental health professionals graduated as trainers. This allowed us to expand our reach beyond Rwanda's capital Kigali and conduct first MHF trainings in smaller towns. The beneficiaries were groups of nurses and ... Read More
Mental Illness Awareness
An interview with Kate Cotton Mental Illness Awareness week ran this year on October 2-8. Throughout that week you may have seen tweets and various social media posts stressing the importance of stable mental health and its support. The awareness raised last week then lead up to World Mental Health Day on October 10. In honor of this important topic and the week dedicated to it, we decided to share a recent write-up that we received from a past participant on our Global Mental ... Read More
World Heart Day
Interview with Emergency Cardiac Care program leader Linda Bell by Ross Fletcher, GEI Director of Study Abroad Programs The World Health Organization (WHO) recently, with additional partners, began a new Global Hearts Initiative to address the number one cause of death in the world, cardiovascular disease (CVD). The initiative strives to increase tobacco control, decrease salt-intake and improve the services currently available for the reduction of key issues such as high ... Read More
New development education courses to learn about the UN SDGs
Study abroad programs in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa and Vietnam by Ross Fletcher (GEI Director of Study Abroad Programs) The UN SDGs: Background and Importance The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), put forth by the United Nations, were proposed in 2015 and officially enacted on January 1st, 2016 with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The goals cover a range of 17 key aspects that aim to, in a more general way, address poverty, inequality, climate ... Read More
The global impact of Trainings of Trainers
Lessons from the field in Vietnam Our Newborn Care and Emergency Cardiac Care programs that took place in Vietnam this Spring were a success on many levels. With participants from three continents, the ToT (Training of Trainers) teaching method has now equipped nurses and professionals from across the globe to teach and spread the lessons learned in these courses. Participants gained valuable skills that are often scarce or nonexistent in many regions with minimal resources. Like with ... Read More
Global Health Practicum in Rwanda
New partnership with the University of California, San Francisco We are proud to announce a new partnership with the Center for Global Health (CGH) at the School of Nursing of the University of California, San Francisco. Its mission is to be the preeminent nursing school advancing healthcare worldwide through research, education and patient care. Under the leadership of Dr. Mary Foley, we have developed a Global Health Practicum that will focus, first and foremost, on concepts and ... Read More
Trauma Treatment in Rwanda
An interview with program leader Athena Phillips Athena Phillips founded the Integrative Trauma Treatment Center (ITTC) in Portland, OR in 2012. Her desire was to implement a more holistic approach to treating trauma and to address the mental health challenges that result from traumatic experiences. She has brought together her interest in medicine and her intrigue in human behavior and response, to create a multi-phase treatment model for trauma. This fall, Athena will lead the first ... Read More
Women & Leadership in South Africa (August 2016)
Final call: Summer delegations in South Africa The registration deadline for this summer's Women & Leadership study and engagement tours is drawing close, and we still have a few places available. If South Africa has always been on your bucket list, please consider this unique educational opportunity. Under the leadership of the distinguished professors Jackie Shahzadi and Shirley Randell, the delegations will explore the role of women in politics, business and society. Special theme ... Read More
Rwanda – 22 years after the genocide
Commemorating the Rwandan genocide Rwanda marked the 22nd commemoration of the 1994 genocide yesterday. The country has come a long way and, today, is regularly lauded as a major development success story. Some impressions from Rwanda: Feel safe and secure walking the streets of its modern, green capital A place where zero tolerance for corruption really means zero tolerance One of the most gender-progressive parliaments in the world Globally admired for its achievements in ... Read More
Emergency Cardiac Care in Vietnam
Teaching Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support The first of GEI's spring delegations have arrived in Vietnam. For four weeks, master trainers Patty Kelly (newborn care) and Linda Bell (emergency cardiac care) and their colleagues are teaching at hospitals and universities in Binh Phuoc, Vinh, Anh Son, Tra Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City. Emergency Cardiac Care trainings are the newest addition to our portfolio in Vietnam. The rational is simple: Cardiovascular diseases ... Read More
Global Engagement in Vietnam
The story of the Asian Dragon Today’s Vietnam is undergoing some of the fastest socio-economic changes any country in the world has seen. The Asian Dragon, as it is frequently called, is a major development success story that has experienced remarkable rates of economic growth since the start of massive political and economic reforms called doi moi in 1986. It is now a middle-income country with a poverty rate of less than 10%, massive influx of foreign investment, and booming modern ... Read More
Infection Control in Rwanda
Invitation to join a Training of Trainers Delegation with Dr. Mary Foley (Aug 20-27) Rwanda's health system has seen a lot of progress when it comes to preventing and controlling hospital-acquired infections. Most district hospitals now have IPC committees in place and follow IPC protocols. However, some of these hospitals struggle to maintain and to apply some of these protocols due to lack of resources and especially lack of capacity. That makes capacity development for the medical and ... Read More
The Women’s Legal Centre in South Africa
Introduction to one of the inspiring organizations that our Women & Leadership in South Africa delegations engage with Based in Cape Town, the Women's Legal Centre is one of those truly inspiring organizations that our Women & Leadership in South Africa delegations visit and engage with. It has been established to advance women's rights by conducting constitutional litigation and advocacy on gender issues. The Centre has a vision of women in South Africa living: free from ... Read More
Faculty-Led and Custom Programs
Upcoming Programs in Africa and Asia Developing countries in Africa and Asia are becoming increasingly popular for faculty-led and custom experiential learning, service-learning and cultural immersion programs. At the same time, program developers and program leaders continue to face enormous and frequently unexpected challenges. As a result, a partnership with a regionally specialized third-party provider not only offers peace of mind and meets liability requirements but can also add ... Read More
The Status of Women in South Africa
A GEI country brief by Kari Cousins (GEI Program Manager, South Africa) Diversity is a key feature of South Africa, where 11 languages are recognized as official, where community leaders include traditional chieftains, rabbis and returned exiles, and where housing ranges from tin shanties to rural mud huts to palatial gated communities. The country has one of the continent’s largest economies and is, along with China, Brazil, Russia and India, a member of the BRICS club of ... Read More
Neonatal Nursing
COINN/GEI Workshop on International Volunteer Opportunities On August 14-17, the Council of International Neonatal Nurses will hold its 9th COINN Conference in Vancouver, Canada. Over 500 neonatal nurses, students, administrators, educators and neonatal nurse practitioners from across the world will come together under the theme ONE – One Passion, One Vision, One World. As part of the Pre-Conference Workshops, COINN President Dr. Karen New and GEI Executive Director Dr. Michael ... Read More
Global Mental Health in Rwanda
Partnership between GEI, NBCC International and the University of Rwanda According to World Health Organization (2005) estimates, over 450 million people live with unmet mental health needs. Developing countries in particular often have a critical shortage of mental health professionals, and the resulting unmet mental health needs are costly both socially and economically. Rwanda is one such country. While its medical system is generally lauded as a major African success story, the field ... Read More
Impressions from Rwanda – Women & Leadership
Review of a Women & Leadership delegation in Rwanda (December 2015) In early December, Half Sky Journeys founder Ila Asplund took a delegation of American women leaders to Rwanda. The program was part of our Women & Leadership series. Here are some impressions: Ila Asplund on what makes Rwanda unique: Nowhere on earth is there a model for women's leadership quite like Rwanda's. Cultivating a unique "ecosystem" of grassroots heroes, innovative nonprofits, healthcare access, ... Read More
Justice and Reconciliation in Rwanda
NYU Global Field Intensive in Rwanda (January 2016) NYU's Global Field Intensive was one of four J-Term university delegations that we hosted in East Africa this January - three in Rwanda, one in Uganda. Led by Global Affairs Professor Jennifer Trahan, the students explored the topic of Justice & Reconciliation in Rwanda. The program included a busy schedule of meetings. After introductory visits to the Kigali Memorial Center, Camp Kigali, the Presidential Museum and the genocide ... Read More
Developing Capacity in Health in Vietnam
GEI spring delegations in Vietnam (March/April 2016) In less than two months, our GEI Training Center in Ho Chi Minh City will host the next delegations to help Vietnamese partner institutions develop crucial workforce capacity in Newborn Care and Emergency Cardiac Care. The training hosts will include, among others, Dong Nai General Hospital, Red Cross Ho Chi Minh City, Tra Vinh Women's and Children's Hospital, Nguyen Tat Thanh University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy. A ... Read More
Graduate Women International Conference in South Africa
Women & Leadership delegations to participate in global conference After we sent our recent invitation to join a Women & Leadership delegation to South Africa this summer, many of you have requested further information about our friends at Graduate Women International (GWI) and their triennial conference in Cape Town. GWI is the leading girls’ and women’s global organization run by and for women. They advocate for women’s rights, equality and empowerment through access to quality ... Read More
Drama-Based Education in Rwanda
Invitation: Join Prof. Drew Kahn in Rwanda In partnership with the Anne Frank Project (AFP) at SUNY-Buffalo State, we invite students and professionals in education, theater, social work, conflict mediation or related subjects to join a unique Drama-Based Education program. Participants travel to Rwanda and engage in a high-impact experiential and service-learning initiative. They acquire a Drama-Based Education certificate and work with Rwandan teachers at local schools. This program ... Read More
Women & Leadership in South Africa
Invitation: Join Prof. Jackie Shahzadi or Prof. Shirley Randell in South Africa In August 2016, Graduate Women International will host its 32nd Triennial Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. GEI and two renowned international women leaders take this opportunity to invite you to join one of two unique study and engagement tours and explore the theme of Women & Leadership in South Africa. The tours are scheduled immediately before and after the GWI conference. Program dates: Aug 13-20 ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part IV)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Mary Stebbins, Registered Nurse and Public Health Professional, USA We had an early morning departure from the Grand Hotel Saigon (HCMC) for the short flight to Hue City. Our tour bus was waiting and soon after arrival, we set off to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hue, considered by many to be the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual heart of Vietnam. This small city is home to 300,000 people, most of ... Read More
Only the Beginning, Vietnam!
Inaugural Helping Babies Breathe trainings a big success by Patty Kelly (Helping Babies Breathe International Master Trainer) It is often said, “teach a man how to fish and he has fish for life”. This can also be true when teaching new yet proven skills to medical personnel. While they have learned one technique or another, there will be new evidence to support changing and updating their bodies of knowledge. This is true of the program, only a little over four years old, ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part III)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Kelly Guzman (Nurse Consultant - Transition and Activation Planning LA, USA) Mr Minh, a lecturer of Financial Management at the University of Transport in Ho Chi Minh City, toured us through his facility. Mr Minh is applying for a master’s degree in logistics and material and supply chain. The campus has an open design and layout with classrooms surrounding a quad where the students can connect in the open air. ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part II)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Carole Snyder (Emergency Preparedness Program Manager in LA, USA) Today, we had the opportunity to visit the Vietnam Women’s Union, where senior representatives from the Union and the Intellectual Union met with us to discuss the promotion of women’s roles in society as well as sharing their mission and frustrations. Ms Tran This Phuong Hoa, Vice president of the Women’s Union discussed the mission to protect ... Read More
Diary – Women & Leadership in Vietnam (part I)
Reflections about the Women & Leadership program in Vietnam by Nicola Mountain (Active Zonta Member & Accommodation Business Tutor) The Global Engagement Institute (GEI) Executive Director, Michael Grosspietsch started the day by introducing the team and gave an overview of the week's program. Then we set off on a very interesting tour of the city. Hui, GEI Associate, one of the Vietnamese Boat people who had left Vietnam as a child and returned as an adult, led this ... Read More
Launching GEI’s newest destination: Vietnam
Two inaugural GEI delegations in Vietnam by Waleed Fatth (Global Programs Manager) One day I'll touch your soil One day I'll finally know my soul One day I'll come to you To say hello .. Vietnam I found myself humming with this song which was sung by Vietnamese–Belgian singer Quynh Anh while waiting for my plane to get back to Europe after spending 4 unforgettable weeks of my life in Vietnam. I was thinking of the great experience getting to know Vietnam as a country and as ... Read More
Kwibuka 21: Rwandans Building Rwanda
Commemorating the Rwandan genocide by Katie Carlson, Program Manager in Rwanda Kwibuka 21: Remember, unite, renew. Kwibuka means “remember” in Kinyarwanda, the native language of this country. This week marks 21 years since the genocide against the Tutsi began in Rwanda in 1994. A mere 21 years since nearly one million Rwandans were slaughtered in their own streets and homes by neighbors, friends and even family members. This week and in the months to come, we remember all ... Read More
Mary Foley in Rwanda
Interview with former President of the American Nurses Association (ANA) by Dr. Michael Grosspietsch (GEI Executive Director) "I have had the opportunity to visit Rwanda twice over the last three years, and I cannot wait to return!" This is what Mary Foley, the former President of the American Nurses Association (ANA), wrote when sharing her thoughts about Rwanda. Mary Foley is a faculty member of UCSF’s nursing school who became the first nurse to ever make it onto the ... Read More
Drama-Based Education in practice in Rwanda
Experience from a Rwandan teacher: Drama-Based Education in practice Have you wondered what our new Drama-Based Education capacity development program in Rwanda might look like in practice? Gilbert Bisengi, one of the Wellspring teacher-trainers whom our SUNY-Buffalo State delegation under the leadership of Prof. Drew Kahn certified in January, shared an incredibly inspiring email with us. While we had seen the impact of the curriculum in public schools in Buffalo and knew that it should ... Read More
NICU nurse from Maryland wins EHN Christmas raffle
GEI raffle: Engage for Healthy Newborns Danette Wolford (BSRT, RRT-NPS, ECMO specialist) was the lucky winner of our Engage for Healthy Newborns (EHN) Christmas raffle. She now decided to join our inaugural EHN delegation to Vietnam which will be led by our experienced program leader and master trainer Patty Kelly on April 19-29. Her prize was a free tourism extension, which means that she will enjoy three fascinating days of visiting the famous Angkor Wat temple complex and other nearby ... Read More
Our next battle for international development
Reflections on GEI's capacity development model by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager) The other day, I was talking to a friend who is working with Doctors without Borders (MSF) about the world and the current global events here and there. She was telling me about how she had high hopes for 2015 to finally see less conflicts and crises worldwide. I told her that we're still at the beginning of the year and it's hard to judge what the rest of it is holding for us, but ... Read More
Anne Frank in Rwanda
Drama-Based Education training by SUNY-Buffalo State students by Melissa Lesage (GEI Country Manager, Rwanda) 2015 kicked off with a bang as we hosted our first Drama-Based Education group in partnership with Buffalo State University and the Anne Frank Project. Preparing this program has been really exciting and in fact, hosting the delegation has turned out to be a life changing experience for me. The Anne Frank Project began in 2009 and uses storytelling as a vehicle for ... Read More
Ebola in 2015
Update on Ebola in Africa by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager) Every year has its share of significant world events. 2014 is no exception. From the rise of several crises worldwide to life-threatening incidents here and there, the past year left a number of ordeals that humanity has to address. Ebola is just one of those urgent matters that hopefully 2015 will be the year in which the Ebola virus is completely defeated. So what is happening with this virus and what ... Read More
Life with Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy - a frequent result of birth asphyxia by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager) One of the joys of life is seeing babies taking their first step and hearing their first words. Parents always like to talk and brag about these moments and the majority take them for granted considering these first moments as a part of the normal development process of any newborn. Unfortunately, this is not always the case since the development process can be interrupted due ... Read More
Global Gender Gap Index vs Real Life
The realities of gender gaps in Rwanda by Katie Carlson (GEI Program Manager, Rwanda) The news has been exploding in development circles around the world: Rwanda clocks in at 7th in the world on the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI), compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF). As a gender specialist who has been living and working in Rwanda permanently for the last three years, this certainly surprised me. Immediately I knew this index required deeper investigation, ... Read More
Defeating diseases such as Ebola
Ebola in Africa by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager) “It’s possible to control Ebola. It’s possible to defeat Ebola. We’ve seen it here in Nigeria.” (Onyebuchi Chukwu, Nigerian Minister of Health) How to defeat Ebola has become one of the most important questions in global health debates. Since the current outbreak was declared on March 22 in Guinea, the world has lost more than 4,500 lives, and we are still struggling to find a proper response and a strategy to ... Read More
Mentoring business women in Rwanda
Launching GEI's new Business Mentor Program in Rwanda by Katie Carlson (GEI Program Manager, Rwanda) In about two weeks, GEI will be hosting a team of business coaches selected by the Dutch organization Fair2 here in Kigali to mentor small business owners and entrepreneurs in Rwanda. As part of my job as Program Manager, I have been scouting mentees in Kigali to match with one of our visiting business coaches. Keeping in mind the disadvantages that many business women face ... Read More
Reflections on Women & Leadership
Women & leadership delegation in Rwanda by Katie Carlson (GEI Program Manager, Rwanda) Women from 4 continents came together in Kigali last week to learn about the amazing success story that Rwanda has become in terms of promoting women in leadership positions, and to build friendships across the cultures. Katie Carlson, GEI's Program Manager in Rwanda, shares one of the most powerful moments: One of the participants shared an amazing story with the group, describing how ... Read More
60 Rwandans certified in HBB
Successful trainings in neonatal resuscitation in Rwanda by Waleed Fatth, Global Programs Manager Have you ever wondered how it might feel to visit Rwanda and to make an important contribution to one of the country's key capacity development priorities? Here is an account of the experience of our current Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) delegation in the country. Surrounded by the breathtaking views of the green hillsides around the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the delegates had ... Read More
Developing an IPC system in Rwanda
Join our delegation to develop capacity in Infection Prevention & Control by Dr. Michael Grosspietsch (GEI Executive Director) Mary Foley is a truly exceptional woman. She is a faculty member of UCSF's nursing school, served as President of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and became the first nurse to ever make it onto the list of the 100 most influential in healthcare. And now she is inviting international colleagues - nurses, public health specialists, engineers etc ... Read More
Giving birth in Rwanda
Neonatal resuscitation needs in Rwanda by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager, Berlin) Jeanne Musabende lives in Nyamata, a town in Bugesera district some 40 minutes from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. She recently became famous when a Rwandan online journal used her success story to showcase progress in infant and maternal healthcare in the country. Jeanne was due to have a complicated birth late in the evening, traditionally a worrying event in many developing countries ... Read More
Gender-Based Violence in South Africa
Inclusive solution-directed approaches to fight gender-based violance in South Africa by Kari Cousins (GEI Program Manager, South Africa) "Young Afrikaner men are brought up in the Calvinist religion believing that they own a woman, they own a child, they own everything and therefore they can take that life because they own it!" That was the initial comment which was given by Lulu Xingwana, South Africa’s former Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities after ... Read More
Teaching Emergency Cardiac Care in Rwanda
GEI's inaugural Emergency Cardiac Care trainings in Rwanda by Dr. Michael Grosspietsch (GEI Executive Director) “I’m so excited that they picked us to come.” These are the words of Linda Bell, an experienced international instructor and CEO of an American Heart Association training center based in Jacksonville, Florida. “They are the most motivated students I’ve ever had. They really want to know the material and ask a lot of questions.” Linda recently led our inaugural ... Read More
Rwanda – 20 years after the genocide
Commemorating the Rwandan genocide by Dr. Michael Grosspietsch (GEI Executive Director) The world's eyes are upon Rwanda once again. Has it already been 20 years since we saw those horrific pictures in the news? Up to 1 million people killed in only 100 days? Today, on April 7, the world community has united in Kigali for the 20th commemoration of what is frequently called the 'most effective' genocide of the past century. And yet for many it is also a time to celebrate. ... Read More
Infection Control in Rwanda
Launching a new capacity development program in Rwanda by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager, Berlin) Nosocomial infections or healthcare associated infections are infections acquired in healthcare settings, which affect hundreds of millions of patients worldwide every year. As an unintended result of seeking care, these infections lead to more serious health complications, prolong hospital stays, and might induce long-term disability and/or unnecessary patient ... Read More
Mental Health in Botswana
Inaugural GEI delegation exploring mental health in Botswana by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager, Berlin) The inclusion of mental health services in primary healthcare systems is a hotly debated topic in international healthcare circles. For decades, leading global institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO) have advocated for a complete integration of mental healthcare. Despite significant progress, many challenges remain. For example, accessibility is ... Read More
Global engagement in 2014
GEI Professional Development Programs - An outlook by Waleed Fatth (GEI Global Programs Manager, Berlin) It's that time of year again when most of us realize that we want to make changes in our lives that support our goals for a healthier and happier life – for ourselves and for others. It's not unusual to think of the New Year as the perfect time to begin something new that will make a real difference and promote positive change in the world around us. One possible ... Read More
Hamline University increases engagement in Rwanda
The future is looking bright by Yvan Rubengebenge (Operations Manager, Rwanda) In my position, I regularly take our visitors to Gashora, to learn about different government interventions to lift people out of poverty. I couldn’t imagine that one of those visits would change a life forever – the life of a girl from the Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology. Gashora is a sector located 60km southeast of Kigali in Bugesera District. Historically, Bugesera was ... Read More
Agaciro: A society in positive transition
Agaziro - Rwanda's national development fund by Katie Carlson (GEI Program Manager, Rwanda) Last week in Kayonza District, a celebration was held for the International Day of the Girl. In a country that has set a world record for the only female majority in parliament, currently at 64%, a celebration of this kind could never be overlooked. As part of this event, Plan Rwanda, an international NGO, announced that since last year, over 700 girls across the country have been ... Read More
Healing Mobile Healthcare (South Africa)
Northeastern University medical students in South Africa Every year, during their summer vacation, a group of medical students from Northeastern University in Boston, visit South Africa – making a difference in the lives of many here who can’t afford or don't have access to medical healthcare. One of the highlights in an action-packed and insightful program is the time spent with a non-profit community outreach organization run by the students of the University of Cape Town. SHAWCO ... Read More
Microfinance Initiative at Kabwende Primary School (Rwanda)
Indiana University business students in Rwanda A delegation consisting of students of the Microfinance Club and the Institute for Social Impact at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business visited Rwanda in May to work with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Kabwende Primary school in Kinigi, half-way up Rwanda’s volcanoes in the north-west of the country. Kabwende is a large school with approximately 2,000 children in grades 1 to 6. It benefits from a long-term partnership with ... Read More
Making a Difference (Malawi)
An inspection visit to Malawi by Keira Powers (GEI Director, Southern Africa) Malawi, a small and little known African destination bordered by Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique, under-promises and over-delivers in every way. From the friendliness of its people, to the environmental concern of its formalized tourism industry, to its magnificent beauty of land and lake, no visitor will go unimpressed with this little landlocked country in southeastern Africa. Malawi is 118,000 ... Read More
19 years on… and thriving (Rwanda)
Commemorating the Rwandan genocide by Katie Carlson (GEI Program Manager, Rwanda) As a Canadian working and living full-time in this beautiful and inspiring country I have come to call my second home, this April marked the first time I have been in Rwanda during the genocide commemorations. As the date of April 6th approached, the official beginning of the commemorations and the ‘100 days of genocide’ that concludes on July 4th, I was unsure of how to show my respect for ... Read More
Building Bridges with Judiciary Law (South Africa)
California Judges Association visiting South Africa Early 2013 saw an intrepid group of Legal-Eagles from the California Judges Association (CJA) venture to South Africa to explore the Rule of Law and how it is interpreted and, in turn, implemented into society. The insightful program included a visit to Constitution Hill and South Africa’s Constitutional Court where they held a meeting with His Honour Justice Edwin Cameron, one of South Africa’s eminent constitutional court ... Read More
