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Building Community

Welcome!  Murakaza neza!  Karibu!

Artboard – 5.jpg
Rwanda Youth Partnership and Rungano-Ndota Initiative operate with a community approach.  

Building community is the foundation of all we do.

Take a look at our community in action.
Prog Day Gratien with Group Feb 2019 (1)

As RYP reaches out across the USA and the world, we find people interested in participating in this community in many different ways.

Others simply enjoy the learning and connections. Whatever the activities, all of us share the goal of encouraging vulnerable youth to build a brighter future. 

Prog Day Florentine with Salon Coop Feb 2019
Workshop Knitting Shakira Smile Aug 2019

Naturally, collaboration and trust grow out of respect. We need to know one another. Rwandan culture, like many cultures around the world, emphasizes relationships more than the traditions of individualism that some of us grew up with, particularly in the USA.  When we build relationships, our efforts are stronger and more lasting. We try to keep a long-term view and truly build this effort together.

Prog Day Jean-Luc Group Feb 2019.jpg

Building community also helps us overcome the destructive legacy of colonialism and all its related prejudices and pitfalls. As we collaborate, we are operating in the shadow of many generations of exploitation and mistrust. With differences in languages and cultures as well, our relationships need to be resilient in order to be productive. Patience, humility, and warm spirits are necessary to sustain this positive global community and
its important work.

Coop Salon Greeting Feb 2019.jpg
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