A guest post from Jules Shell, Executive Director of Foundation Rwanda

If you’ve followed Foundation Rwanda for a while, you know Jeannette Kawera. You’ve seen her grow from a determined student into a powerhouse journalist and a voice for the second generation of survivors.

Today, we are thrilled to share a double celebration of her hard work and academic excellence:

• A Brilliant Milestone: After previously graduating in Hospitality Management and Leadership from the Akilah Institute for Women, Kawera has now graduated from Mount Kenya University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communications—earning First Class Honors!

• The Next Leap: Her excellence has opened a new door across the ocean. Kawera has been accepted into the MA Program in Communications at Michigan State University!

Kawera has never taken the easy path. Born into the humble and challenging circumstances of the 1994 Genocide’s aftermath, she didn’t just aim for a vocational certificate—she aimed for the world stage.

Over the last few years, she has become an essential part of our Foundation Rwanda family. While completing her undergraduate studies, she didn’t just manage our newsletters; she secured interviews on NPR, reported from COP29 in Azerbaijan, and launched a massive campaign to fight period poverty in rural Rwanda. Twice named Female Entertainment Journalist of the Year, Kawera has proven she has the talent. Now, she has the opportunity to bring those skills to one of the top graduate programs in the United States.

This isn’t just a win for Kawera; it is a win for every young person in Rwanda who was told their story was defined only by tragedy. By pursuing her Master’s in Communications, Kawera is preparing to return to Rwanda as a leader who will shape the future of African media.

But there is one final hurdle to clear. To get her from Kigali to Michigan, we need to bridge the gap for her student visa fees, travel insurance, and her flight to the U.S.

Will you help Kawera take flight? Our goal is to raise $7,500 by December 31st to ensure students like Kawera have everything they need to secure their visa, board their flight, and succeed in graduate school. Your year-end gift today is the final piece of the puzzle in this incredible success story.

With gratitude and joy,

Jules, Sam, Emilienne, Raban, Kawera, David, Jonathan, Sara, Mike & Dan (The FR Team)

You can donate in the US here: https://foundationrwanda.org/donate

Or from the UK, you can donate here: https://survivors-fund.org.uk/support/donate-to-us/