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Our Work in Rwanda

World Dance for Humanity is a Santa Barbara-based grassroots organization helping 28 Rwandan communities left divided and destitute by the 1994 Genocide. We provide goats and cows, student stipends, support for community-run businesses, training (in agriculture, business, and leadership), and community support (health insurance, solar lights, mattresses, reusable menstrual pads, etc.). With this assistance, we’re able to help 12,000 people build new lives. 

Our goal is to help these people “own their transformation” by supporting projects that they envision and plan. This approach is possible thanks to our Rwanda Team, whose deep understanding of their people and extraordinary dedication make it possible to penetrate the hopelessness and division in these communities and inspire them to work together toward a brighter future.

 

Every designated dollar from our dance classes, donations, and grants goes to our work in Rwanda, thanks to an annual gift that covers our minimal overhead.

 

Photos of Our Work in Rwanda

Videos of Our Work in Rwanda

Agriculture & Animals

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Learn about our Agriculture Programs, which include goats, cows, pigs, permaculture, and resilience design.

Education

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Learn about our Education Program, which is sponsoring 270 students in primary school, secondary school, and college.

Community-Run Businesses

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Learn about the 19 Community-Run Businesses we have helped the cooperatives start, and the plans for other future ventures.

Training

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Learn about the Trainings we offer

the communities we work with, specializing in Permaculture, Veterinary, Business, Cooperative Leadership, and Student Leadership.

Clean-Air Cookstoves

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Learn about our Clean-Air Cookstove initiative, in partnership with Dr. Sangwon Suh from UC Santa Barbara's Bren School of Environmental Management.

Community Support

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Learn about the Community Support we provide, including: bicycles, mattresses, health insurance, reusable menstrual pads, emergency food aid, and more.

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“Our generous and life-changing sisters, I wish I could be with you to express gratitude for the blessings I have because of you. I am not growing older but growing younger; you keep me strong all the time. You brought back my hope and happiness. Now I have you as my sisters, and a strong foundation for my children and grandchildren. I meet with you in my heart anytime I think of what you are doing for us. My heart is connected to yours and I can feel it. My life is no longer the same since you started helping us.”

 

– Mary Kanzayire, Twiyubake Co-op

Our Impact

Since 2013, World Dance for Humanity has provided the following to these communities in Rwanda:

  • 1,576 Goats for families

  • 82 full-grown, pregnant Cows collectively owned by the co-op (includes 19 cows soon to be delivered)

  • 111 Calves from these cows

  • 7 parcels of farmland

  • Education Stipends for 390 Primary, High School and College students

  • Two Preschools for children 4-7 years-old, including buildings, equipment, and teachers’ salaries

  • Annual Training Workshops in Agriculture, Veterinary, Business, and Leadership

  • Health Insurance for 955 people (on average) each year who cannot afford the $5 annual fee

  • 19 Co-op Businesses: Bakeries, Seamstresses, Event Rentals, a Water Project, a Café, Ventilation Bricks, a Craft Store, Bees, Beet-Juice, and a Tilapia Fish Farm

  • Reusable Menstrual Pad Production in 4 co-ops

  • 400 Water Filters & Training (each serves 10 people for 3 years)

  • 35 Bicycles for businesses to transport goods

  • 613 Mattresses

  • 619 Solar lights

  • 66 Clean-Air Cookstoves

  • 8 Laptops to Co-op Businesses

  • 6 Rain Water Collection Tanks

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