Letter Exchange Program Provides An Escape From Poverty
Ntawangwanabose Célestin Buyore (or Célestin for short) is a teacher and a RESPECT International volunteer who comes from the Republic of Rwanda, a place that is likely to conjure up images of a not-too-distant war and a past marred by violence.
Célestin works at Saint Kizito-Kabiria located in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1994, between 800,000 and one million people were killed there and over the course of approximately 100 days, it is estimated that some 500,000 people were tortured and murdered. In Célestin's case, he lost most of his family in the conflict.
"All of my relations died in the war," Célestin said. "My mother and brothers were most likely killed in 1996 by the soldiers of the Front Patriotic of Rwanda (FPRInkotanyi) who are leading there now."
Despite his sorrows, Célestin had a passion to teach and to give back to those who were impacted by the violence. "I like teaching and I also feel sympathy for the children who are the innocent victims of what happened in our countries. I wanted to help them," he said.
He is fulfilling that passion as a teacher and a RESPECT volunteer with students actively engaged in the RESPECT letter writing exchange program. This programme has provided a light in the lives of Célestin students whom he said are continuously exposed to dark.
Many of his students are refugees who come from abject poverty and who have lived in adverse living conditions. "The letter writing programme exposes the students to other students throughout the United States and Canada," he said. And at times it provides his students with an escape from their current situations.
"Due to poverty, the students are physically weak and many have experienced famine in their homes. They don't have lunches. They get to school on foot and some are unaccompanied and orphans," he lamented.
One of Célestin's students, Francis Ahuishakiye, who lived through the traumatic events in Rwanda, said, "I was moved to write these letters, to exchange ideas with my new pen-friends, to make friends from abroad, and to have fun with them if possible."
In addition to the new friendships being forged, Célestin said this programme also benefits the students by providing an opportunity "to exchange stories and life experiences, to help students recover from the events of their past and to inform one another of the situation of their schools."
At Célestin's school, the working conditions are far from ideal. "Our school functions without funds. It relies on the small contribution of parents to buy stationery, for instance, and soap." The teachers at his school are volunteers who, he said, receive no salary.
But limitations aside, Célestin said his students add an intangible wealth to the school and are happy and proud to be a part of the RESPECT letter writing program. "The students here are thirsty for knowledge. They work hard despite their hard living conditions," he said. "My thoughts on RESPECT University and this program are so positive," he added.
Francis, Célestin's student, agreed. "My life here is hard and tiring because my family is poor; however, I am proud to be a student at this school because we learn. We play games and we chat with other students around the world."
In addition to Célestin's involvement with the letter exchange program, he also hopes to benefit personally from continuing educational opportunities offered through RESPECT in his quest to help the adults in his community.
"I hope to have admission and scholarship through RESPECT as I would like to learn about migration and conflict management and international development or psychology here in Kemya or around Africa."
His goal is to help the adults in his community and "assist in transforming their behaviour," he said. "Poverty and ignorance are big challenges to overcome here." However, he hopes that by learning and through education he might be able to positively impact his community.