RESPECT International Blog

Ntawangwanabose Célestin Buyore (or Célestin for short) is a teacher and a RESPECT International volunteer originally from the Republic of Rwanda, now living in Nairobi, Kenya and working at Saint Kizito-Kabiria. In Rwanda, 1994, between 800,000 and one million people were killed and it is estimated that some 500,000 people were tortured and murdered in a period of only 100 days.

“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.”

Having survived the war Célestin now teaches at a school without funds. The school relies on small donations from the parents and the teacher work for free. The students there are proud to be getting an education and be part of RESPECTs letter exchange program. Many of the students are refugees who have lived in abject poverty. The letter exchange program provides them with an escape for a while as they learn about the lives of students from the United States and Canada.

“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,” Célestin said. Taking part in the letter exchange program helps the students recover from the events of their past and look forward to a brighter future.

For further information on this story click here.

To find out more about the letter exchange program click here.

RESPECT International website.