APIE Spring Newsletter 2021

Spring Newsletter 2021

Dear Supporters,
 
Regular readers will know that we usually use one of Rwanda's beautifully patterned fabrics as the background for our newsletters. But nothing says "new start" like a bundle of freshly sharpened pencils, so we've chosen this colourful background to celebrate the return to school of all pupils at Umubano Academy for the first time in almost a year. 
 
And that's not the only good news we're celebrating in our Spring issue. This newsletter is jam-packed full of positive stories from APIE, Umubano Academy and beyond. We've launched Phase II of our innovative EQUIP programme which will provide high quality training for even more nursery teachers across Rwanda. We also tell you about the Bright Talk project we've been delivering in partnership with education provider Scholé to support parents to develop their child's speaking and listening skills. 
 
Despite the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic across the world, we've witnessed incredible generosity from our supporters in both the UK and the US. School pupils at Benenden School in the south of England showed both talent and ingenuity in their fundraising efforts, and Claudia Pritchard is our Superhero of the Month after trading in her old car to support APIE. On the other side of the Atlantic, our Friends in the US have amazed us with their fundraising efforts over the last year, raising vital funds to support both teachers and families at our partner school in Kigali. Our Spring issue also provides an update on our Big Give Christmas Challenge, which raised over £6500 in just 7 days. 
 
As we reach the anniversary of the first COVID lockdowns in both the UK and Rwanda, positive stories like these are sometimes the only thing keeping us going amid the many tragedies and hardships of the pandemic. At Umubano Academy, it is clear that many families have struggled financially as a result of lockdowns, and we are determined that those children whose parents can no longer afford their school fees should continue their education at the school. That's why we've launched a new campaign to raise the £3500 needed to keep them at Umubano. Please donate what you can. 
 
Last, but not least, this newsletter includes details of an amazing opportunity to join our APIE team as a UK Schools Ambassador. If you have bags of energy, experience of the UK education system and a few hours to spare each week, please contact hannah@apartnerineducation.org to find out more about the role.
 
Keep smiling folks, behind your mask of course.
 
Best wishes from all of us in Rwanda,
 
Amy Barnecutt, APIE CEO

UMUBANO ACADEMY

School's not out!

For the first time in almost a year, all pupils at our partner school Umubano Academy have now returned to school. Some things have changed, of course - we have new handwashing stations, all children have their temperatures taken on arrival and the ubiquitous face mask is now covering up those beautiful smiles - but Rwanda's first Lead School for Peace will continue to deliver a unique education, with a focus on resilience, respect and inclusivity as well as educational attainment and learning through the arts.  

Supporting parents with Bright Talk
 
APIE has teamed up with education provider Scholé to help Umubano parents engage their children in conversation and develop their communication skills. During lockdown, parents received text messages with simple suggestions to help get their child talking. One parent commented "I never knew my child could talk so much and knew so many words!" 

Umubano parents pushed into poverty
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many families into poverty, and we now have an increased number of families at Umubano Academy who are unable to afford school fees. APIE has launched a campaign to raise £3500 to enable children from these 9 families to continue to receive a high quality education at Umubano.

Donate now to support families pushed into poverty by COVID to get a quality education for their child

OUTREACH 

EQUIP project enters second phase
 
Over the last 2 years, APIE's groundbreaking EQUIP project has supported hundreds of nursery teachers across Rwanda to improve their play-based teaching methods. We're thrilled that, thanks to ongoing funding from UK aid from the British people, we will now be extending the project to reach even more teachers with our e-training programme. With children in Rwanda being out of school for much of the last year, it is more vital than ever that teachers have the knowledge, skills, ideas and inspiration to provide high quality education. 

FUNDRAISING NEWS

APIE smashes Big Give target
 
Thanks to the generous support of all our donors, we hit our £2000 target on day one of the Big Give Christmas Challenge. Our final total was an incredible £6,774 which will enable us to provide quality education for some of the poorest children in Rwanda. We are also immensely grateful to the Coles-Medlock Foundation and Laura Malkin who provided match funding for the campaign.

Benenden bonanza puts the fun into fundraising
 
Students from Benenden School in Kent didn't let Covid restrictions stop them raising funds for APIE's vital work. Their end-of-term talent show was live streamed across the school, which meant that all year groups could watch the show safely within their bubbles. The school also held a "dress easy" day and a book sale to boost their fundraising efforts, proving that anything is possible with enough determination and ingenuity. Many thanks, Benenden, for your contribution to the provision of quality education in Rwanda. 

Bumper year for US Friends of APIE
 
The US Friends of APIE reacted quickly to the COVID crisis and provided vital funds for Umubano's COVID Hardship Fund, Feeding Programme and Creative Arts project. 
 
We would like to extend our special thanks to the Tony Randall Theatrical Foundation, Stephen Graham, The Solder True Life Foundation and Karen Marsh, Scott and Laura Malkin and James Wright for their very generous donations over the last year. We are also hugely grateful to the Dinan Family Trust for their donations over a number of years to transform the Umubano School library (pictured right). 

Bucks for books from an old banger
 
This month's APIE superhero is Claudia Pritchard who sold her beloved old Volvo and donated the proceeds to APIE. We love this story of how something that has been in a family for years can be transformed into education for children on the other side of the world. 
 
APIE will use the money from the sale of Claudia's old car to buy books, resources and other teaching equipment which can be used by our scholarship children at Umubano Academy.  

WORK FOR US

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As always, we love to get feedback and hear ideas. If there is anything you want to let us know, then please get in touch.