Hope Shines is a female mentoring program dedicated to enhancing the lives of children through meaningful activities with strong female role models, both foreign and local. Hope Shines offers young girls opportunities for empowerment, encouragement, and education.

Hope Shines officially launched its activities in July 2008 when it organized a week-long day camp at the Rebero Orphan Center (now the CSC). Forty girls from the center spent the week with seven mentors (four from the U.S. and three from Rwanda), engaging in dance and artistic activities, all aimed at improving English language skills, building self-esteem and discussing gender equality, quality of life, and moral values. Following the camp, Hope Shines is committed to return to Rwanda each year to build on its initial success at ROC. Hope Shines is now working to provide year-round, after-school programs, to offer continuity in mentoring and supplemental education, and to facilitate continuous empowerment and positive growth among the girls at the CSC.

As Hope Shines and EFA International share similar goals and plans for providing technical assistance and support to the CSC, the two organizations set up an official partnership in October of 2008. It is now possible to donate to Hope Shines activities directly through the EFA International website.

Make a donation to Hope Shines through EFA. (Specify “Hope Shines” in the “Designation” field.)

Visit the Hope Shines Web site.