Sponsored students
Abdoulaye, Guinea
Sponsored by LaMar Baylor
Alice, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jessi Crutchfield
Passy N., Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Passy B., Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Sumaya, Rwanda
Sponsored by Stefanie Boffoli
Belise, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Jean Baptiste, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Divine, Rwanda
Sponsored by The Heinz Family
Claudine, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Kayitare, Rwanda
Sponsored by Eleonora Saccone
Ezila, Rwanda
Sponsored by Catherine Dansby Smith
Nana, Guinea
Sponsored by Caitlyn Casson
Patrick, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Samuel, Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Kevine, Rwanda
Sponsored by Stefanie Boffoli
Naomie, Rwanda
Sponsored by Joy Sjoberg
Mohamed B., Guinea
Sponsored by Anne and Ben Schwartz
Aicha T., Guinea
Sponsored by Deanna Cormier
Patrick, Rwanda
Sponsored by Stefanie Boffoli
Moise, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Junior, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Pacifique, Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Josue, Rwanda
Sponsored by Catherine Dansby Smith
Didier, Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Benitha, Rwanda
Sponsored by Anne and Ben Schwartz
Pascaline, Rwanda
Sponsored by Joy Sjoberg
Ange, Rwanda
Sponsored by Gozde Bosnali
Hawa, Guinea
Sponsored by Anne and Ben Schwartz
Solange, Rwanda
Sponsored by Stefanie Boffoli
Jessica, Rwanda
Sponsored by Christy Neal
Sia, Guinea
Sponsored by Sheila Grant
Didier, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Job, Rwanda
Sponsored by the Heinz Family
Zidane, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Dominic, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Appolinaire, Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Elia, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Ismael "Smiley", Rwanda
Sponsored by Anonymous
Simon, Rwanda
Sponsored by Jewish Helping Hands
Thank you to LaMar Baylor for your sponsorship of Abdoulaye!
ABOUT ABDOULAYE
11-year-old Abdoulaye had dropped out of school when his parents could no longer pay school fees. His father’s work in construction was irregular, and with a large family of five siblings, it was hard to get by. In 2018, Abdoulaye’s family learned about MindLeaps and he was enrolled in the program. From the first day, he was very flexible, but didn’t seem to have the energy to push himself in dance class. With the support and encouragement of his teachers, Abdoulaye worked steadily to build up his strength.
He is the leader of his class, knowing all of the terms and could teach the warm-up by himself. He stands front and center every class and listens to and understands every correction given in the dance classes. The younger group did the circle choreography class and he watched the last 5 minutes of it, and the next day he remembered everything he saw and was able to perform it for everyone.
Today, in fact, Abdoulaye is a really strong dancer. Abdoulaye is called « short boy » by everyone at the center because he is so tiny, but he has more confidence than all other students combined! He’s shy and doesn’t talk a lot, but he loves dance. He’s now part of the MindLeaps Performance Group and has performed publically with the group in two shows.
MindLeaps sponsored Abdoulaye’s return to school and he’s now in 3rd year primary. He comes to the MindLeaps after-school program to get extra help with his subjects. His family is unable to provide him with books, which can be a problem for his studies. To further encourage him to attend the after-school program regularly, MindLeaps makes books available to him at the center.
Abdoulaye says one day he wants to be a professional dancer and work for MindLeaps!
Thank you to Jessi Crutchfield for your sponsorship of Alice!
ABOUT ALICE
Alice started the 2022-23 academic year in 8th grade, where she is eager to learn and is dedicated to her studies. During breaks from school, she looks forward to coming to the MindLeaps center to take part in dance, English and IT classes. She thinks it is important to keep up her English and enjoys reading English books.
Thank you to Joy Sjoberg for your sponsorship of Naomie!
ABOUT NAOMIE
Naomie lives with her mother and siblings. She is a hard-working and committed student, who began the 2022-23 academic year in grade 8. She stands out for her maturity and could well become a leader at her school.
Thank you to Joy Sjoberg for your sponsorship of Pascaline!
ABOUT PASCALINE
Pascaline is a committed and enthusiastic young student, now in secondary school. Pascaline has lived with her aunt since her parents divorced. Her aunt does not work, so most of their income comes from Pascaline’s father’s job in construction. He contributes to the household only when he is able to visit. Despite this unstable living situation, Pascaline is serious about her schooling and has a strong desire to succeed. Outside of school, Pascaline loves playing ball games with her friends and attending programs at the MindLeaps center, where she also really enjoys sharing stories with the other kids.
Thank you to Gozde Bosnali for your sponsorship of Ange!
ABOUT ANGE
Before MindLeaps, Ange slept on an empty stomach very frequently. Now, she receives a meal at MindLeaps every day. Ange lives with her parents. Her father works in construction, and her mother recently got a job washing clothes in the community after joining MindLeaps’ Family Strengthening Program. She loves to play volleyball, and hopes to grow a little taller! Ange wants to be a science teacher when she grows up.
Thank you to our anonymous supporter for your sponsorship of Passy!
ABOUT PASSY
Passy joined MindLeaps after dropping out of school. He began being sponsored in school in 2015. Thanks to the continuity of his sponsor, he is now close to completing secondary school. In addition, he is also learning how to teach the MindLeaps dance classes as seen in his photo.
Thank you to Anonymous for your sponsorship of Passy!
ABOUT PASSY B.
Passy lives with his mother, aunt, brother Didier (also a MindLeaps student), and younger sister. Passy completed 6th grade before dropping out of school due to extreme poverty. His dream job would be to be a football player or professional dancer, but for now he would love to continue his education and study engineering or mechanics. In the studio, Passy is always trying new acrobatic tricks and flips and encouraging his peers to try new things as well.
Thank you to Stefanie Boffoli for your sponsorship of Sumaya!
ABOUT SUMAYA
Sumaya joined MindLeaps in 2015 after dropping out of school in grade 4 as her mum could not afford to pay for food and school fees. Sumaya lives with her mother, but they still struggle as her mum does not have a stable job, so she finds temporary jobs like washing other people’s clothes for them. Sumaya and her mother share a close relationship – it was her mother who heard about MindLeaps and brought Sumaya along to enroll her. Her mother is very supportive of her and only wants the best for her; she just does not have the means to support her financially.
When Sumaya first enrolled in the MindLeaps program, she was very quiet, isolated and lonely. However, over the years she has enjoyed participating and learning in the dance program, and she has re-enrolled in school where she has been working hard.
The last year has been particularly difficult for Sumaya, as her house and entire neighbourhood was destroyed by heavy rain. The Rwandan government gave the families affected by the flooding shelter in a school, where Sumaya and her mother stayed for a while. Thus, for the first six months of the pandemic, they relied on the meals provided by MindLeaps as this was the only food they had. During this time, Sumaya could not do her homework properly and she only had access to a radio receiver.
In June 2020, the MindLeaps virtual academy was introduced to Sumaya’s cohort of children. This was a more exciting time for her, and she looked forward to participating in the virtual academy. This in itself is an achievement, because it is very common for girl’s her age to drop out of school.
Sumaya is now in grade 6 at Cyivugiza Primary School and is working very hard for her national exams this year. Despite the challenging last year, she has a very decent record at school, and has great chances of passing her exams well. Her favourite subject is mathematics, but she loves school in general! She is always competing to be in the top 5 students in her class, as well as among the top of the MindLeaps students in academics! Sumaya is also mature for her age and knows how to ask for support when she is finding something difficult.
Sumaya hopes to be accepted into a boarding school after her national exams as this would allow her to focus 100% on her schoolwork and not have to worry about her problems at home. In 2019, Sumaya was awarded a scholarship to take extra ballet classes each week at City Arts in Kigali, where she attended classes with foreigners working in Rwanda. She is not in the performing group at MindLeaps as she prefers to dance for fun, and she also prefers to dedicate her time to studying and helping her mother.
Sumaya has changed a great deal since joining MindLeaps. She is now very interactive, has many friends, and talks a lot. Sumaya’s best friend is Raisa who joined the centre at the same time as her and studies in grade 6 too. Sumaya says that she is much happier overall and that MindLeaps has taught her how to express herself. Furthermore, when she first joined the centre, she was dancing for enjoyment, but now she is working hard towards a greater goal, and she knows how she can achieve this. Sumaya aims to pass her national exams this year with good grades, be accepted to boarding school, and in the future, she dreams of becoming the Rwandan Minister for Education! She is a very determined girl and is among the strongest and bravest girls at MindLeaps. We are so proud of Sumaya – clearly, she has had a lot to overcome, but she always remains resilient and wants to be the best she can be.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Belise!
ABOUT BELISE
Before joining MindLeaps, 10-year-old Belise used to get beaten at school because she was unable to pay her school fees. Today, MindLeaps is sponsoring her education, allowing her to go to school without worrying. At home, she lives with her two siblings and her parents who both work in construction. Outside of school, Belise loves the MindLeaps dance program and playing football with her friends and hopes to one day become a pilot.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Jean Baptiste!
ABOUT JEAN BAPTISTE
Jean Baptiste has strong work ethic, discipline, and passion. Jean Baptiste had been out of school for several years before joining MindLeaps. He completed the program, developing all the cognitive and life skills necessary for him to be successful in school. In 2017, Jean Baptiste was suffering from severe dental issues that, had they gotten any worse, would have affected his brain. Luckily, he was able to access dental work and now has a healthy smile!
Thank you to The Heinz Family for your sponsorship of Divine!
ABOUT DIVINE
Divine is 11 years old and joined MindLeaps in 2018 at age nine after dropping out of school. She lives with her mother and baby brother called Brian.
Divine has a very good relationship with her mother and shares the household chores with her. They divide everything in two: during the week, Divine cares for her younger brother in between attending school and the MindLeaps centre, and at the weekend she cooks, cleans, and washes the clothes while her mother takes care of her little brother. Despite her young age and the many responsibilities that she holds, Divine works very hard to help her family. These responsibilities have made her an independent little girl. Her family home was taken down by rain, forcing them to relocate further uphill. Therefore, her walk to and from the centre is relatively far and on a steep incline, but despite the difficult conditions, Divine takes it in her stride and never complains.
In between helping out at home, Divine comes to the MindLeaps centre every morning before school. After school she attends tutoring lessons in mathematics, English and science to speed up her learning. Divine is currently in 6th grade at Cyivugiza Primary School and will therefore sit her national exams this year. Divine enjoys school but English is her favourite subject of all. She is doing really well and is currently in the top 10 of her class overall. She is already preparing for her exams and we have every faith that she is going to do well in them. Divine attends dance classes at MindLeaps at the weekend.
Divine loves dancing and is one of the best dancers at MindLeaps. She is in the performance group and has performed in several events. She was visited by Misty Copeland who inspired her to be a strong female. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Divine used to take extra ballet classes in another part of Kigali every week. This allowed her to improve her technique but also to build her confidence and interact with other children. At this dance academy, students are from both Rwanda and abroad. This experience allowed her to meet other likeminded young people who she could communicate with through both English and dance.
Divine’s best friend is Belize, another MindLeaps student. The two girls joined MindLeaps at the same time and have therefore been dancing and growing together from the beginning. They are always by each other’s sides and are best friends forever!
The MindLeaps staff say that Divine is their little angel. She is a very kind girl with a pure heart. She is very generous, humble, respectful, and is always smiling regardless of anything she is going through. Divine says that she would like to grow up to buy her mum a house where they can live peacefully together.
We look forward to seeing Divine continue to develop and bless the people around her who are fortunate enough to know her or call her a friend.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Claudine!
ABOUT CLAUDINE
Claudine lives in Nyakabanda with her parents, and 4 siblings, 2 of whom – Antoine and Antoinette – are also MindLeaps students. She reached the 3rd grade before needing to drop out due to extreme poverty. She enjoys singing and dancing with a Rwandan dance troupe and her dream for the future is to become a traditional Rwandan dancer. At MindLeaps, she and her sister Antoinette, as well as her friend Chouette are inseparable, and the three call each other “sisters.”
Thank you to Eleonora Saccone for your sponsorship of Kayitare!
ABOUT KAYITARE
Kayitare is 19 years old and lives in Nyamirambo, a neighborhood just outside of Kigali, with his parents and five siblings. Kayitare dropped out of school in grade 5 because of poverty. He spent some time on the streets, but after joining MindLeaps in 2015, he was re-enrolled into school. He now attends Groupe Scolaire Akumunigo and is currently in grade 9.
In 2019, Kayitare sat his grade 6 national exams and passed with distinction (5 A’s). He was not only ranked the top student in the school, but he had the highest marks out of all students in the entire country! Naturally, Kayitare was over the moon about his well-deserved success. He was granted admission to an excellent school and was allowed to skip to grade 9 given his academic ability. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic his school has been closed so he has missed a lot of time in class learning. Despite this, he will still sit his national exams for grade 9 this year. In the 10th grade, Kayitare hopes to take science-based classes, choosing between either maths, biology and chemistry, or maths, physics and geography. Kayitare is known in MindLeaps as the school genius!
As a student in the MindLeaps virtual academy, Kayitare – like the other students – has been learning with volunteers from the US, so his English has really improved during the pandemic. He was chosen to attend because he really sticks in at school and there is a certain responsibility that comes with showing up to online class on time and actively participating. He has really excelled as a student, achieving distinction grades for his performance and has 100% attendance. Kayitare was also hired as a teaching assistant in the virtual academy during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he has really enjoyed. Even pre-pandemic, Kayitare was known to share his knowledge with other children struggling with their schoolwork in his neighbourhood. He willingly helps them with their homework, especially with maths and science. He also uses this as an opportunity to continue learning as he needs to be well-prepared in order to help the other children successfully. Kayitare says that it is fulfilling to be able to do this, and it allows him to spend time with his friends, too. Thus, despite the challenges that COVID-19 has brought to several of our students, it is evident that Kayitare has maintained a full schedule and his focus on his school work and helping others has not waivered.
Kayitare is a very hardworking, humble, and respectful boy. He enjoys the time he spends studying as he says it gives him hope for the future. He also works very well as a member of a team. Kayitare’s best friend is Samuel, who is the same age as him. They are in the same grade and attend the same school, and Kayitare encourages and helps Samuel with his schoolwork.
Aside from studying, Kayitare likes to play football and dance. This is unusual for children from his neighbourhood, as it is known for petty crime and low levels of community engagement. However, Kayitare’s grit and hard work are really paying off and we are so proud of him. He is succeeding in school with flying colours and never loses focus of where he wants to be in the future. Kayitare dreams of one day becoming an electronic engineer and we are very sure that with his positive attitude and work ethic, he will be able to achieve this dream.
Thank you to Catherine Dansby Smith for your sponsorship of Elia!
ABOUT EZILA
Ezila lives in Nyakabanda with his siblings Emimant, Clementine, and Elia. His father is deceased. Ezila loves every program at MindLeaps; he enjoys dance, IT, and reading in the MindLeaps library. Ezila carries around an English-Kinyarwanda translation dictionary he found and loves to read from it and teach himself new English words every day! Ezila’s foot was seriously broken when run over by a truck, less than two years ago. Despite this set back, Ezila consistently came to classes and now is back on his feet and dancing every day. In the future, Ezila would like to become an IT teacher.
Thank you to Caitlyn Casson for your sponsorship of Nana!
ABOUT NANA
Nana, 11, came to MindLeaps in 2019. Earlier, she had attended two years of Quranic school, where she studied in Arabic. After finishing those studies, she stayed home, living with her older sister. She was out most of the day selling water, oranges and other items on the street to help earn money for the family. Nana had been out of school for a year and a half when she began the program at MindLeaps.
She soon came to have a true passion for dance. Nana seemed born to dance! Her passion and determination showed when she encountered challenges. At first, she said it hurt to do the more extreme moves like the splits. Teachers announced a contest to see who could do the best splits, and Nana pushed herself to become the best in splits! She loves helping others in dance class as well. Nana was chosen for the MindLeaps Performance Group, and the others in the group saw her enthusiasm right away. She jumped in and wasn’t afraid to try anything new. Her first public performance with the group was in 2020.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Moise!
ABOUT MOISE
Moise joined MindLeaps in 2011 (before MindLeaps was known under this name), when he was just 8 years old. At that time, Moise had been living on the streets for 3 years after being abandoned by his parents when he was 5 years old. During those 3 years, Moise was partially supported by another local organisation. Then, when MindLeaps started its dance classes, Moise was enrolled in the MindLeaps program too.
After spending some time at MindLeaps and gaining the skills needed to be able to attend school, Moise was enrolled in 2015, and began to attend Sunrise Boarding School – an excellent school located in the north of Rwanda. Moise enjoyed his primary school years at Sunrise, but when he graduated into high school, he found it difficult. He did not enjoy much about it at all, including the people, the food, and all the rules he had to follow.
Moise has since moved school and is currently in grade 8 at Ecose Secondary School, where he is also a boarding student. It is a religious school, so discipline is paramount in the school values. Aside from the rules, Moise does enjoy studying. His favourite subjects are maths, English, and computing. He also studies entrepreneurship, which is among his favourites. In the future, he would like to be a businessperson and hopes to own his own shop, and he knows that he can take the skills from this class with him in the future.
As Moise has found it difficult integrating to life at boarding school, MindLeaps tried to find suitable foster families for him, but it did not work out. This has meant that boarding school is the only safe way for him, as he has grown up not knowing either of his parents. Understandably, this has been extremely emotionally challenging for Moise.
During the holidays, when Moise is not at school, he stays with his sister. She lives quite far from the MindLeaps centre, so he is unable to attend every day, but he goes whenever he can. He loves his time spent at MindLeaps, particularly to be able to use the Wi-Fi and to see his friends who he enjoys talking with. Moise says that they talk about everything ranging from their past, to their future ambitions, and everything in between! Moise’s best friends at MindLeaps are Jado (who also joined in 2011) and Passy (who went to the same school as Moise). Passy was head boy (school captain) and Moise looks up to him for this.
Since joining MindLeaps ten years ago, there has been a huge change in Moise. Despite all struggles he has faced and continues to face, he has remained in school and is focused there because he knows that he needs his studies to be able to achieve his dreams. He has also learned a lot about himself and understands himself more now as he has grown up. Moise is now, in many ways, more accepting of his difficult past. Moise is incredibly resilient given all he has had to overcome from such a young age. We are extremely proud of him and the MindLeaps staff describe Moise as “a very decent young man”.
Thank you to Deanna Cormier for your sponsorship of Aicha!
ABOUT AICHA
13-year-old Aïcha had to leave school because her parents could no longer afford to pay school fees. Fortunately, her father had heard about MindLeaps, and in 2019 she was enrolled in the program not long after dropping out.
Aïcha loves being at the MindLeaps Center. It’s an important part of her social life and support. She attends the after-school program to get extra tutoring, and also comes whenever she can just to be with her friends – and dance with them. Her dance skills also qualified her to be chosen for the MindLeaps Performance Group.
After making successful progress in her dance and English classes, Aïcha is ready to return to school. She is now in 3rd-year primary at the Harunaya Bilingual (French/English) School.
Thank you to Stefanie Boffoli for your sponsorship of Patrick!
ABOUT PATRICK
18-year-old Patrick Nkundimana had been out of school for three years before joining MindLeaps because his mother could not afford the school fees. During those three years, Patrick worked hard to get into the MindLeaps program and would spend his days reading books. At home, Patrick’s father isn’t around and his mother takes care of her five children alone. She sells produce on the streets to make money, but Patrick still has to fend for himself. When Patrick grows up, he hopes to form his own NGO similar to MindLeaps.
Thank you to Stefanie Boffoli for your sponsorship of Kevine!
ABOUT KEVINE
Kevine joined MindLeaps in 2018. She comes from a family of seven, and her mother is the only breadwinner at home, selling second-hand clothes in the neighborhood. It was always a struggle to pay school fees and provide the basic necessities. Now Kevine is thriving in secondary school. She dreams of traveling one day and studying the different cultures of the world.
Thank you to Anonymous for your sponsorship of Samuel!
ABOUT SAMUEL
13-year-old Samuel joined MindLeaps in 2018, and currently lives with his mother and three siblings. He will begin the 2022-23 academic year in 8th grade. He is a calm and focused boy, very academically inclined and concentrated on his studies.
Thank you to Anne and Ben Schwartz for your sponsorship of Mohamed!
ABOUT MOHAMED B
Mohamed has not been to school because his family could not afford the fees. When Mohamed first joined MindLeaps, he was always very quiet. His confidence has developed over time, and now when the teachers ask questions during class, he is one of the loudest and most confident to answer! His favorite dance move is the C-Jump. In the future, Mohamed would love to study languages and become a translator. His other career goal is to become a professional soccer player. He loves being the Offense when playing soccer with his friends.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Junior!
ABOUT JUNIOR
Manzi Junior is 13 years old and joined the MindLeaps program in 2018 after dropping out of school as his family could not afford his school fees. He lives with his doting grandma, with whom he shares a very close relationship. Junior is described by the MindLeaps staff as humble, respectful, very smart and responsible, with a great sense of humour and a strong passion for music! He is always cracking jokes and making everybody laugh and smile. He is also very good at imitating people (especially older people) and the way they walk and talk… this is why he is nicknamed “the old man” by some of the other MindLeaps children!
Since joining MindLeaps, Junior’s confidence has blossomed and his talent for guitar never fails to impress us! As he only gets one hour of guitar training per week, he devotes a lot of his free time to improving. His favourite song to play is Laurette by Kamaliza (a Rwandan single), which he is on his way to mastering! He has also started singing along to the songs he plays, and we are inspired by his talent and creativity.
Last year, Junior sat his national exams for elementary school and graduated into high school where he now attends Camp Secondary School as a 7th grade scholar day program student. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Junior could not finish his first term in grade 7, but he resumed his studies in November 2020, where he started his second term. At school, his interest in his classes has increased significantly, particularly in IT and English; and he is doing well in all the subjects he takes.
During lockdown, Junior has been studying, fetching water, and mopping at home. However, he cannot wait for the lockdown to lift so that he can return to his four-weekly MindLeaps classes. Moreover, he is excited to be reunited with all of his friends, but in particular Loic Ishimwe, his best friend. The pair joined MindLeaps at the same time and have therefore grown through many beautiful and challenging experiences together. They are currently classmates in school too. He is also very excited to finally be able to dance again, improve his digital literacy skills at the MindLeaps centre, and of course, have the opportunity to spend more time playing the guitar.
As Junior reflects on his journey so far, he recognises that before joining MindLeaps, he was lonely and did not attend school. However, MindLeaps has given him the positive energy and the determination to attend school and to work hard to succeed. He has made very special friendships too, which he cherishes deeply, and Junior says that he never thought he could be as happy as he is currently. Looking to the future, Junior dreams of one day becoming a computer engineer. He is working hard to achieve this goal; his elevated interest and motivation to stick in at school and succeed are setting him on the right track to do exactly that.
Thank you to Catherine Dansby Smith for your sponsorship of Josue!
ABOUT JOSUE
Josue is an 8th grader committed to his studies. He has been working hard at school in the 2022-23 academic year, with strong marks in Kinyarwanda, math, physics and biology – and also in dance, music and sports, which he loves!
Thank you to our anonymous supporter for your sponsorship of Pacifique!
ABOUT PACIFIQUE
Passy, age 12, lives with his mother, older sister Diane, and younger sister Pascaline, who are both students in MindLeaps’ girls program in Rwanda. Despite his family’s challenges with poverty, Passy is a very upbeat child; he is very inquisitive and always singing and dancing around the Center. His hobbies include biking, building blocks, and dancing. He also loves studying the muscle poster in our dance studio, which isn’t a surprise, since Passy would like to become a doctor.
Thank you to our anonymous supporter for your sponsorship of Didier!
ABOUT DIDIER
Didier lives with his mother, aunt and brother Passy, who is also a MindLeaps student. His father is deceased. Dancing is one of his favorite hobbies and MindLeaps has given him many different ways to be involved in dancing: he watches contemporary dance videos, choreographs in his spare time in the studio, and asks to participate in teacher dance trainings to improve his ballet technique. In the future, he wants to work for an organization tha Save & Exit t helps kids. Didier is 20 years old and joined MindLeaps in 2015 with his younger brother, Passy. Their father sadly passed away some time ago, and the family was left without a home as their mother was unable to pay for the costs of rent herself. Furthermore, she struggled to afford the boys’ school fees and food, so both Didier and his brother were forced to drop out of school. During that time, they both wanted to earn money by playing soccer. However, they ended up spending two years on the street selling stolen items to afford food.
Didier and his brother live with their mother in a neighbourhood of Kigali called Nyamirambo. This neighbourhood is being gentrified but remains considerably disadvantaged compared to other parts of the city. Didier’s family stays in a high-risk zone at the top of a hill where he lives in a tiny room with his brother and mother, sharing the same mattress to sleep. Didier’s family is currently being relocated by the government to a different area of Kigali because of the risks they face in Nyamirambo.
Despite their difficult living conditions, Didier is always optimistic for tomorrow, even if he does not have food to eat today. He has a beautiful relationship with his mother and is very understanding of his home situation. Didier and his brother’s personalities are like chalk and cheese – Didier keeps the peace whenever there is tension or upset between his brother and his mother. All in all, Didier is respectful, humble, and hardworking. Despite their differences, Didier says his best friend is his brother, Passy. They currently attend different schools, but they always stay in touch and enjoy spending time together during the holidays when Didier returns from boarding school!
When he re-enrolled in school, he was awarded a scholarship to return to primary school, as he had previously dropped out in grade 3. He was already 17 years old, so this was understandably hard for him as he was much older than the average student in his class. Didier completed a tutoring acceleration program at MindLeaps so that he could sit the national exam immediately. He passed his exams and is now in grade 9, soon to begin grade 10 after he sits his national exams this summer. Didier is currently studying at APEAR Secondary School. Didier is excelling in school and has become very strong academically. He is very focused and never needs to be reminded to study. He is always ranked among the top three students in his class! After joining MindLeaps, Didier quickly recognised the value of education, and this is where is interest and desire has remained ever since. This sets him apart from other children because most kids just want to dance without attending school!
At Didier’s school, dance is offered as an extracurricular activity. Thus, even when he cannot attend MindLeaps’ dance classes during the term, he continues to practice and improve his dance techniques at school. There are other MindLeaps students at APEAR Secondary School with Didier, and they enjoy dancing together in their free time, where they are given a sound system and space to dance. Ever since Didier joined MindLeaps, he has had an immense passion for dance. He performed in the Ubumuntu Arts Festival with his brother where they danced as a duo! Since then, he has performed twice more. Didier says that his role model is Dane Hurst, a professional dancer from South Africa who visited MindLeaps in Rwanda and spent time with Didier. They connected over their love for dance. Didier was inspired by Dane and now looks up to him and hopes to become like him one day.
We are very proud of Didier’s positive attitude to every aspect of his life, including his difficult home life and his determination to succeed in school. Didier is a great team player and is very easy to get along with. He has been described by the MindLeaps staff as ‘thoughtful’. Didier dreams to go to university to study IT and dance.
Thank you to Anne and Ben Schwartz for your sponsorship of Benitha!
ABOUT BENITHA
Benitha joined MindLeaps in 2018, and her single mother had struggled to support Benitha and her four siblings in school. Benitha is eager to learn, and in 2023, she could focus on her studies in Grade 8 knowing she was receiving the support she needed to move forward with her education.
Thank you to Anne and Ben Schwartz for your sponsorship of Hawa!
ABOUT HAWA
Hawa is the smallest student at the MindLeaps Center. She is a hardworking and very smart young girl. She is very bright and always happy and good mannered in dance class. She likes to study and learned all the muscles and dance positions very well. Her favorite dance move is the Russian pas de chat. Hawa especially loves the English classes at MindLeaps. Hawa dreams of becoming a teacher in future, and hopes to return to school so that she can study.
Thank you to Stefanie Boffoli for your sponsorship of Solange!
ABOUT SOLANGE
Before MindLeaps, Solange lived with her mother with 3 other siblings. Her mother couldn’t afford paying her school fees or scholastic materials, and she was unable to provide basic needs for all her kids. This caused Solange to drop out of school in primary 4 (4th grade). After joining MindLeaps in 2018, Solange went back to school and now she is among the best academic performers. Her mother joined MindLeaps Family Strengthening Program where she received business microloans, and she has a small business of selling fruit. Solange enjoys reading books, and dancing ballet, and dreams of becoming a pilot in the future.
Thank you to Sheila Grant for your sponsorship of Sia!
ABOUT SIA
12-year-old Sia, the second of four children, had completed 3rd- year primary school before she dropped out because her parents could only afford school fees for their two youngest children. Her father is a mason without steady work, and her mother sells fish. Sia stayed at home helping with daily chores and occasionally going with her mother to sell at the market. Through a friend, her mom heard about MindLeaps, and Sia was enrolled in the program.
She attends dance and English classes four days a week, and on Fridays, she takes part in MindLeaps’ Sexual and Reproductive Health Workshop. As girls transition to young adulthood, the focus on healthy relationships and habits, hygiene, and social issues connected with puberty is an important part of their education.
Sia was new to the MindLeaps program last year, but adapted well and worked hard. She is thrilled to be sponsored to return to school this fall. Her dream for the future one day is to become a nurse.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Didier!
ABOUT DIDIER
Didier lives in Nyakabanda with his parents and five other kids, one of whom is a cousin that his parents took in. His dad sells sewing needles, and his mother sells bear and shoes in the market. Neither of these jobs makes very much money, so MindLeaps has been a big help in putting Didier through school. He enjoys the Acceleration Program and likes playing with his new MindLeaps friends!
Didier’s Story.
Didier is 11 years old and is currently in grade 6 at Cyivugiza Primary School. He joined MindLeaps in 2018 after dropping out of school in grade 4. Didier lives with his mother and siblings.
Didier is one of the smartest children in MindLeaps and is extremely focused on school – he is currently ranked top in his class! During the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been extremely responsible and never needed reminded to do his homework – he was always on top of it. Didier loves school and strives to achieve the grades that will allow him entry to boarding school. At boarding school, his life conditions would be much safer, and he would be sure to receive three meals a day, which he currently does not get. This would allow him to focus purely on his studies. He is currently studying for his grade 6 national exams which he will sit later this year.
By studying hard, Didier forgets about his problems. Even if he does not find anything to eat one day, he will usually cry for a while but then gets back up and keeps going. However, Didier never complains and would not explicitly say if anything was upsetting him.
Didier comes to MindLeaps every afternoon after school, and at the weekends too. Currently, he is also attending school at the weekends to catch up from time missed during the lockdown this year when his school was closed. While Didier enjoys dance, he prefers academics. He also loves spending time with his friends and being crazy with them!
Didier is very shy, especially with other children he does not know, or adults. However, he is very attentive. This is his way of showing respect. When he is with his friends, he is very excitable, energetic and loves playing together. For a child of his age, Didier is extremely responsible and grounded.
Overall, Didier is a wonderful kid with huge potential. When he first joined MindLeaps, he was lonely and lost, and he found it difficult to express himself. Over the years, he has learned how to interact well with other children, and he has formed very close friendships. He is now also focused on school and values the opportunity to learn and grow.
Didier is a beacon of hope, and we know that no matter what obstacle is put in his way, nothing will ever stop him achieving great things. In the future, Didier dreams of becoming a teacher.
Thank you to The Heinz Family for your sponsorship of Job!
ABOUT JOB
When 13-year-old Job dropped out of school, he spent his days being sad at home. Now, however, he is back in school with MindLeaps and has his school materials sponsored. Job’s father passed away 11 years ago, so Job lives with his mom and four siblings. His mother works making envelopes for grocery stores, and this has enabled her to put four of her children in school. Job’s favorite part of MindLeaps is the dance program!
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Zidane!
ABOUT ZIDANE
Zidane comes from a large family, living with his mother and 10 siblings. Due to difficult life conditions, Zidane decided to go to the street in 2009. He joined MindLeaps in 2011 and excelled in classes, enabling him to be sponsored to join formal education at Sonrise Primary School in 2012. Despite his background, the lowest grade he ever got in his 6 years of primary school is 67%. In 2018, Zidane scored in the first division in the National Exams, meaning that he was one of the top performing students in all of Rwanda! Zidane’s passion and determination continue to inspire MindLeaps staff.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Dominic!
ABOUT DOMINIC
Dominic completed 6th grade before dropping out of school because of extreme poverty. He lives with his mother, 2 sisters and 2 brothers. He particularly enjoys the English classes at MindLeaps.
Thank you to our anonymous supporter for your sponsorship of Appolinaire!
ABOUT APPOLINAIRE
Appollinaire’s father died when he was in 4th grade, and he lives with his mother and three siblings. Appollinaire had to drop out of school in 6th grade due to the fact that his mother could not afford to pay the school fees. He is excited to be sponsored in school and would like to become an engineer one day.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Elia!
ABOUT ELIA
Elia’s father passed when he was in the 3rd grade. He lives with his mother and younger brother, and has several other siblings living outside of Kigali in the village. He dropped out of school during secondary school due to extreme poverty. His dream would be to continue his education and study chemistry, and use this knowledge to learn how to treat sick people and teach them about illnesses. In addition to being a dancer, Elia is also a talented visual artist. Elia’s friends call him an old soul because he enjoys listening to the news on the radio.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Pascaline!
ABOUT PASCALINE
Pascaline is the younger sister of MindLeaps students, Passy and Diane. They also have another younger sibling and all live together. She is always standing in the front line in dance class, directly next to, if not touching, the teacher. Although youngest in the class, she is able to pick up any combination or movement, and has enough confidence to go first! She is so young that everyone at the Center looks out for her; the older boys like to play games with her and make her feel included.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Simon!
ABOUT SIMON
Simon lives with his mother and little brother, Joseph (who is also a MindLeaps student), his big brother, and two sisters. His father passed away in 2005. His mother needs help in taking care of his siblings, and as a result, he dropped out of school. Since coming to MindLeaps, Simon has particularly enjoyed the English classes and likes to write exciting and creative stories in English and Kinyarwanda. One day, Simon hopes to work with an organization that teaches street kids how to build houses and electricity in order to better their lives.
Thank you to Jewish Helping Hands for your sponsorship of Patrick!
ABOUT PATRICK
Patrick is 15 years old and joined MindLeaps in 2018 after dropping out of school two years prior. He lives with his mother and three younger siblings. Their situation is difficult because they do not have a permanent home. Where he currently lives, it takes Patrick one hour to walk to the MindLeaps Jim Bell Center.
Patrick is a day scholar student in grade 6 at Cyivugiza Primary School. He is an extremely intelligent boy with lots of potential. He is very focused on school now because he will sit for his national exams later in the year and is currently one of the top children in his class! His goal is to be accepted into Saint Andrew School, an excellent public boarding school, where he would like to do his high school years. If Patrick got admission there, it would not only give him a very high standard of education, but it would also be a huge relief for his family as he would board at the school. He is currently taking five subjects in school, but his favorite is mathematics, in which he excels. If the teacher is not present, Patrick happily takes on this role and explains the math to the rest of the class on the whiteboard.
He is very hardworking and responsible and is known in the MindLeaps community for being smart and helping the other students, especially with their math exercises. This makes Patrick very likeable among the students, who appreciate his support. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he has also been helping to take the temperature of students and staff at the MindLeaps’ gate to ensure the safety of all the kids. Patrick attends MindLeaps’ dance classes which he says are fun.
Since joining MindLeaps, his teamwork skills have improved greatly. He now feels included in the group and has a sense of belonging that he did not have before. Patrick’s best friend at MindLeaps is Josue Ishimwe. The two boys spend lots of time together in the center and at school, and study together in their free time.
Patrick is now very stable within the MindLeaps program and at school. He has high self-esteem and is a very humble and grounded boy. Patrick says that since joining MindLeaps, he has noticed that he is much happier. He now enjoys school and feels like he has found a purpose in life. He also says that he now has a closer relationship with his family than before. Patrick dreams of one day becoming a doctor and is working hard to set himself on the right track to achieve this goal.
Thank you to our anonymous supporter for your sponsorship of Ismael!
ABOUT ISMAEL
Ismael Niyonkuru goes by “Smiley” and is the resident model of MindLeaps. He loves to pose for the camera and is constantly taking photos with his friends.