Arise and Shine pre school and primary school 
 

Arise & Shine School began as an idea in the well-practiced visionary mind of Mary Kamanzi, a leader in Youth With A Mission Rwanda. She looked around in Samuduha (our quarter of the capital, Kigali) and saw many children who were not attending school because they were simply too poor. Mary’s vision included a preschool and primary school, a place where children could come to learn about subjects like English, Math and Science, and also about the good plans God has for them; a school that accepts children whose families can afford to pay as well as those who can’t; a school with committed teachers and smaller class sizes so that children can learn creativity and original thinking as well as the necessary facts.

That was seven years ago and now the vision is becoming more real every day. Every year the school grows with our students and so those who started with Arise & Shine are now in P6 . Those who started the school tell stories of holding several classes in one rained-out structure. Today we have our own school buildings - one for preschool and two for primary. Our larger vision includes even a secondary school and teacher’s training program.

In the beginning, it was Mary herself doing the teaching along with two others. Today we have a committed staff of 16 full-time volunteers, including local people and international volunteers. We believe that God is drawing new people to be involved in the work especially now. In the future, we look forward to seeing teachers of various backgrounds receive further training as well welcoming new staff.

As it grows Arise & Shine School is also progressing in terms of organization. This past January a new school board was formed, the result of which has already been an increased clarity of job descriptions, policy and communication.

In Rwanda parents pay $100 – $300 US in school fees for private schools. For government schools the fees may be only about $6 US for the year, but the schools are greatly overcrowded with as many as 100 primary students in a class with one teacher. Parents must also pay for uniforms, supplies and books, which are often not supplied in the classroom as they would be in most western schools. Class sizes in Rwanda in general are often as large as 60 students, making for overworked underpaid teachers and a learning environment where children learn by rote.

The vision of Arise and Shine School is to disciple the nation of Rwanda by laying a strong foundation through quality Christ-centred education, so as to promote creativity and freedom by empowering children to become honourable, capable and servant leaders that will impact all spheres of society.