The Taaluma Project

This fundraiser supports Project Home, an initiative dedicated to providing safe and sustainable housing in Nyamyumba, Rwanda. Every donation will go directly toward the construction and furnishing of a new home for a family in need, creating a stable place they are proud to call home. Beyond the immediate impact of improved living conditions, this project will also strengthen the entire community by helping cover school fees for children and improving food security for families. Your contribution does not just build a house, but builds hope, opportunity, and a brighter future for the people of Nyamyumba.

Together, we raise more than roofs.

In the fall of 2025, our group of eight students, both Virginia Tech and Roanoke College, will have the privilege of spending a month in Ruli, Rwanda through the Linking Lives study abroad program. During our time in Ruli, we will be welcomed into the community, learning and evolving through both shared experiences and mutually beneficial cultural exchange.

As a way to give back to the people of Ruli for hosting and teaching us so generously, we are proud to be partnering with Project Home in Rwanda to build a house for a local family. Currently, homes in Rwanda face issues of sanitation as well as sustainability.

Our goal is to raise $5,000—enough to build and furnish a home and provide school fees for a year, giving one family the gift of safety, dignity, and opportunity.

Your donation will go directly toward the materials, labor, and resources needed to make this possible. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to changing the lives of a family in Ruli while showing our gratitude to a community that is giving so much to us.

We are so grateful for your support in helping us give back in a meaningful and lasting way.

We are students from Roanoke College and Virginia Tech participating in the Linking Lives Study Abroad Program. For the past 10 years, this program has traveled to Rwanda to create social change while giving back to local communities. This November, 8 of us will be working specifically with the Muhazi community.

We will be collaborating with Mabawa, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community development through sustainable initiatives. For over a decade, Mabawa’s work has made a meaningful impact on the community.

We are fundraising to provide health insurance for financially vulnerable families in Muhazi. Donations made through this GoFundMe will support Peace of Mind, a project focused on giving insurance relief to Muhazi families. Contributions will cover health insurance fees for a full year, strengthening the overall wellbeing of the community. We are proud to be part of a program that allows us to make a lasting impact.

Thank you so much for supporting this cause!

We are heading to Nyamyumba, Rwanda, for 14 days to begin the experiential learning aspect of our abroad experience. Immersing ourselves in this vibrant community, we aim to support the local families who have welcomed our program for many years.

With your support, we will fund the construction of homes, provide essential resources, and empower families to thrive. All funds raised will go directly towards building a home, supplying food for a year, and funding education for the children. It takes approximately $4,000 to build the physical house, $1,000 to provide a year’s supply of food, and $1,000 for educational fees.

Help us make a lasting impact by promoting Project Home’s motto: “it’s more than a house, it's a home.” Join us in this journey to build a brighter future together!

Our group is heading to Muhazi, Rwanda in a few weeks to participate in the experiential learning portion of the Linking Lives Study Abroad Program.

As a way to contribute to the community that will be hosting us, we are raising funds to support families in Muhazi. We plan to use these funds to purchase health insurance for a year, which is extremely impactful!

If we hit our fundraising goal, our group will run 1 kilometer for every $1,000 we raise! ($3,400 = 3.4, $4,900 = 4.9, etc).

Our group is heading to Ruli, Rwanda in a few short weeks to participate in the experiential learning portion of the Linking Lives Study Abroad Program. We are taking on an exciting challenge to support an initiative called Project Home which funds the construction of a home in the community, and supports the recipient family in several other ways.

Our minimum goal is to raise $4,000 to cover the cost of building materials for the house.

If we reach $6,000, we can do even more! The additional funds will provide the family with essential furniture, food, and education support for their children throughout the year. Your support can make a life-changing difference. Donate today and help us bring stability to a family in Ruli.

Our group is heading to Rwinkwavu, a small village in Rwanda, in a few short weeks to participate in the experiential learning portion of the Linking Lives Study Abroad Program. Join us in making a life-changing impact for the people of Rwinkwavu!

Our goal is to raise $3,000 to provide health insurance for over 500 individuals in need, ensuring they have access to essential medical care for an entire year. Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to a healthier and more secure future for this community.

If our goal is met our group will participate in a Pie, Egg, Plunge challenge in Lake Lugano!

We are 12 Virginia Tech students participating in service learning in Eastern Africa for a month and we want to give back to the community partners. We are raising money for an initiative called Project Home which funds the construction of a home in the community, and supports the recipient family in several other ways, including furnishing their house, providing fees to support the children in school, and making food and water available to sustain life.

If we reach our goal, we will do a polar plunge in Lake Lugano in December!

Virginia Tech’s Linking Lives study abroad program has been working with Mabawa, a nonprofit organization in Rwanda for 10+ years. In a few short weeks, a group of 11 Virginia Tech students will travel to Nyamyumba, Rwanda for 2 weeks to teach and host a literature focused summer camp with kids.

Although they will be there for a short period of time, the impact this program has is long lasting because it is mutually beneficial for both the Nyamyumba community and Virginia Tech students.

The money raised from this GoFundMe will go towards completing community projects that focus mainly on housing construction and house rehabilitation. The funds will go directly to our partner, Mabawa, and they will allocate the funds based on their needs for certain projects.

The money going to Mabawa is sustained and will affect the community for years to come, even as early as next semester when the next group of Virginia Tech students traveling to Rwanda.

We are proud and honored to have the opportunity to learn from the Nyamyumba community. We hope that with this GoFundMe we are able to make a significant contribution to the community. We are excited to update you on the work we do. Thank you so much for your support!

If you would like more information about the Linking Lives program or Mabawa, please visit the following websites: https://www.linkinglives.org/ and https://www.mabawa.org/

In a few weeks, 11 Virginia Tech students will be traveling to Rilima, Rwanda where we will have the opportunity to teach in primary schools, and make a positive impact on

children's education.

Our mission in Rilima goes beyond making a positive impact in classrooms, but also funding to make a positive impact on the community, and providing a stable home for those in need. We ask you to join us in making a difference in the lives of those in need through Project Home, a community-driven initiative dedicated to providing shelter, hope, and opportunities to individuals and families in Rwanda. Project Home provides a safe

structure to live in, a place of emotional and physical security, and home furnishings. School supplies and fees, safe water, and food are also provided for a full year so the family has the necessary resources to thrive in their community.

If you would like more information about the program we are studying abroad through, Linking Lives, or the nonprofit we are fundraising for, Fondazione Marcegaglia Onlus (FMO), please visit their websites:

https://www.linkinglives.org/

https://fmorwanda.org/

Thank you for being a part of our community and for helping us build hope, changelives, and create a world where everyone has a place to call home.

Sincerely,

Carson, Izzy, Rowan, Mac, Ashley, Adith, Ella, Eryn, Riya, Julia, Tyler

For the last ten years, Virginia Tech students in the Linking Lives Study Abroad program has traveled throughout the country of Rwanda to various locations with the goal of creating and strengthening strong relationships with communities. On March 29, 2024 a group of eleven Virginia Tech students are traveling to Ruli, Rwanda to continue participating in projects that will extend our bonds with these communities.

While we are in Ruli, we will be working with the Dominican Sisters of Annuncita of Ruli and other local NGOs to support the community we are invited to. Our central focus that we ask you to join us in changing lives is though Project Home, a grassroots, community-based initiative dedicated to providing shelter, hope, and opportunities to individuals and families in Rwanda.

Please visit the program website for more information about the program, Linking Lives: https://www.linkinglives.org/