HOW ISHIMWE CHILDREN FOUNDATION STARTED

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 Expressing gratitude to the divine and acknowledging the blessings bestowed upon us forms the cornerstone of our ethos. In response to the challenges brought forth by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly during the lockdown period in January 2020, we initiated a gratitude-driven endeavor. This involved individual acts of thanksgiving alongside our commitment to aiding vulnerable families who found themselves unable to secure sustenance for their children due to the cessation of work opportunities.

With the resources at our disposal, we extended support to select vulnerable households, providing essential food supplies. Witnessing the resultant joy and sense of divine benevolence within these families reaffirmed our mission's purpose. Our outreach revealed a pervasive pattern of hardship among numerous vulnerable families, encompassing stress, trauma, hunger, and various other adversities exacerbated by the lockdown measures.

Recognizing the multifaceted challenges confronting these families, we embarked on a holistic approach. Through regular home visits, we offered spiritual solace through prayer and shared words of encouragement, thus alleviating some of the burdens they faced.

As the reopening of schools loomed in May 2021, we encountered a new obstacle: the inability of children from vulnerable backgrounds to access education due to financial constraints. In response, we pivoted our efforts, transitioning from food assistance to providing essential scholastic materials. This strategic shift aimed to empower these children by facilitating their educational journey, thus laying the groundwork for a brighter future.

It was on January 25th, 2021, amidst our ongoing charitable endeavors, that the concept of Ishimwe Children Foundation (ICF) began to take shape. This community-based organization was conceived with the singular purpose of extending support to vulnerable children, embodying our unwavering commitment to fostering positive change within our community.