The girls arrived well before the start of the event. They gathered in circles and were singing and dancing when the organizers arrived. Then they discussed futures that might hold possibilities they hadn't dreamt of. After that, they got to run, an activity that Rwandan girls normally don't do.
It is another run, halfway around the world, that will help to make some of the girls' dreams come true, according to Margaret and Hilary Butler, who are the mother-daughter team organizing the Rotary Run for Rwanda, the annual event that has replaced the Run for the Ferry. Margaret had just returned from Rwanda when she joined her mother on Skype to discuss the preparation for the fundraiser that benefits Komera, a non-profit organization that assists Rwandan girls in getting a secondary education.
"I was in Rwanda under six weeks and it felt like two days," Margaret said. "There is a lot going on and Komera has grown, thanks to the people of Bowen Island." Komera started in 2008 by sending eight girls to high school. "Last year, the Bowen Island Rotary Club raised $3000 so we could bring on two more girls, Christine and Angelique, who were doing very well," Margaret said. "I explained to them that a group of people from a small island was sponsoring them."
Margaret currently lives in Boston but grew up on Bowen Island. She told the girls that it was her village that was sending them to school. Christine and Angelique are not the only students sponsored by Bowen Islanders.
"Komera scholars go to a variety of secondary schools," Margaret explained. "We pay $500 a year on average. That covers the tuition for the boarding school, a mattress, sheets, blankets, sanitary napkins, everything they need. This year, we implemented a mentorship program where teachers are mentoring them in a number of subjects like financial planning and health. That also provides opportunities for the scholars to get together and talk about the issues they are facing."
Within Rwanda, there are 30 districts and Margaret explained that Komera works in Rwinkwavu. "We work within five or six villages," she said, adding that the scholars are selected from within the community. "The local government, village leaders and social workers select the scholars by looking at a number of criteria. The girl has to be vulnerable she has to have no other chance [of obtaining a secondary education] and she has to show promise."
Hilary said that the region is a good distance away from the capital and was among those hit hardest by the genocide. And even though Rwanda is not a big country by geographic measures, it makes a difference where you live. "The majority of our students would have to travel to Kigali to attend university." Margaret said. "Komera's specialty is in the secondary school realm but our commitment is to find partnerships that allow the students to get a degree. We haven't taken on that cost but we expect every single girl to go [to university]."
The Komera Project currently supports 57 scholars. Next year, 15 of its scholars will graduate and all of them will receive scholarships within Rwanda. "We definitely want to get more girls into school. The need is high and there are many who really want to go," Margaret said. "But we are on the conservative side of a non-profit: we only take on girls when we have all the school years covered."
Hilary noted that the neat thing is that the girls are helping one another. "That hasn't been something we've been pushing it comes from being self-motivated," Margaret said. "That's been one of the best things for me to see. When the girls get through secondary school, they want to be in a position where they can support a Komera scholar. One day, they will run Komera."
Last year, the Rotary Run for Rwanda on Bowen Island attracted around 150 participants, according to Hilary. "It was our first time and we were amazed how well it worked," she said, adding that most of the runners, probably 85 per cent, were locals. "We appreciate the local sponsorship and it was nice to have a community run but the more people we have, the more money will go to Komera."
Margaret has often told Komera scholars about Bowen Island. "I love the idea of Bowen getting together and supporting a community so far away. And they love that idea. The concept of family, village and community is so strong there. This is how these girls have survived - they rely on their community," Margaret says. "When I told them about how my village supports them, those girls' eyes grew larger and larger. They felt so special to have a village of support."
It is meaningful for Margaret as well that the community she comes from supports the community where she wants to make a difference. "That's really special about this event, that my community believes in the work I am doing. It's about Bowen Island reaching out and supporting girls thousands and thousands of miles away and the impact is huge."
"Every single year, we organize a girls-only run in Rwanda," Margaret said. "This started when I was living there. I noticed that only the boys ran and the girls would never run." Margaret decided to initiate a community event where the girls could talk about education. "This year, 250 girls came out from two primary schools that are feeder schools for our scholars," Margaret said. I
n addition to the run, Komera hosted an empowerment camp in the afternoon where the girls talked about what they can achieve together, and with the help of a village many miles away.
Hilary added that Margaret will be on Bowen Island for this year's Rotary Run for Rwanda on August 25. Email the race organizers, Hilary and Robin Butler, [email protected] or check out www.rotaryrunforrwanda.com for registration details.
