I sit at the window and celebrate the rain, as I know the house will soon be surrounded by green

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Africa, Afrika, ausbildung, Bildung, Bildungspatenschafts-Programm, charity, Children, donation, Dritte Welt, Education, Eine Welt, gehörlos, handicap, impaired, Kinder, nothilfe, Ruanda, Rwanda, scholarship, Spende, sponsorship, stipendium, support

English summary of Mr Mauermanns article of October, 2, 2016

In the last few days we have received lots of rain and several severe thunder storms have move through the region. The farmers are busy preparing the ground and many have begun planting. This dry spell has been the longest in the last 60 years. Farmers have had a very difficult time finding enough feed for their livestock. In the Eastern Province alone over 1500 cattle have been lost to the drought. Everyone is joyous and appreciative for each rainy day, much like many of us enjoy a sunny day.

Here is Dietmar’s afternoon view as he enjoyed a coffee and the cooler temperatures.

It is easy for him to slip out of his relaxed mood when he returns to thinking of the pressing tasks and concerns of the students who depend on OWG support. As the program continues on it’s successful path, more deserving and qualified students are brought to his attention who have hope in their eyes that OWG might be the key to educational support and their brighter future.

How are your general fund donations used for the disadvantaged students within our educational program?

This year our project has directly financially supported 48 youngsters within the following educational levels: pre-school, primary and secondary schools, also poly-technical school, vocational training and university.
For 20 of our students, the normal monthly contribution of $45-$50 (usd) adequately covers a boarding school tuition, materials and supplies. Five of these 20 students receive more from the foster parents because their tuitions are higher.
We also have 21 youngsters who are in institutions which simply cost more than our standard supportive donation. The elevated difference in these student’s tuitions are not paid by the foster parent, but rather financed through random singular donations, ie., fund-raisers, good heartedness, etc.

• Three of our children require special assistance and attention because of their multiple handicaps. Their annual care cost, including daily transportation, is between $700 and $1100.
• An aids infected single mother of two receives additional support from her children’s foster parents because her village, out of their prejudice and ignorance, forced she and her children to live socially isolated and geographically remote from her family and village.
• One of our girls was forced by her family to become a street child and this was because of her HIV infection. This interrupted her secondary school education, but thanks to an intervention by new foster parents she is now enrolled in a vocational school. In spite of this assistance, her living conditions remain insecure and dangerous. She receives from OWG support for living quarters, necessary medicines and psychological help.
• We have 7 students who incur school costs of between $150 and $200 more than our norm. Our emergency fund pays these differences.
• We have no provisions for university study. However, there are foster parents of 8 students who partially support their educations at this level. These students were born either during or shortly after the genocide and have no surviving family members. OWG supports each of these students annually with between $1000 and $1800 annually.

We remain by the fundamental decision to provide financial assistance through secondary school. A university yearly tuition falls in the category of $1800-$2000. We feel this is too much to be asking of a forster parent. Those completing the secondary education have the foundation to begin a university or vocational education. The reality is that only the fortunate, who somehow get the means to a specialized education or vocational training, will receive the key to an adequate income producing occupation. Education is of course the key to a better life and our students receive a key from us. However, the OWG key doesn’t fit any specific lock which lets them out of poverty. The locked door which leads to a better life is opened with the key of specialized education.

From 2015 we have one person who didn’t complete the secondary level and is waiting to repeat the year. We have another who has successfully completed the secondary level, but has no possibility to further educate and specialize. In 2017 we will have 2 more secondary graduates who have, at this time, no prospects or means to further their education.
For these extraordinary individuals, as well as other special and emergency cases, there is a pressing need for donations to the general fund, so that we can target unique situations. The more money we have in this general fund, the better we can support those with great possibilities in freeing themselves from their dire poverty. Our ability to elevate our successful secondary school graduates into a continued and specialize education insures their future employability. This initiates a ripple effect into the coming generations.

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