
Joselyne's college fund!
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Help us raise a college fund for Joselyne to attend the African Leadership University! Please read more about Joselyne's story below:
Joselyne's journey is one of incredible determination and resilience. She is the second youngest of eight siblings and both her parents are survivors of the Rwandan genocide. At a young age, her father's health started declining, leaving her mother to provide for a large family on her own. Joselyne would accompany her mother to the market which was far from the village where they lived, helping her sell goods to earn money for the family each day. As her father's health continued deteriorating, she found herself as his primary caregiver from the time she was eleven until he passed away in 2015.
Despite the challenges she faced in helping her single mother provide for her family, Joselyne excelled in her studies and earned a scholarship to Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, a non-profit focused on providing education to vulnerable and orphaned youth affected by genocide in Rwanda. Unfortunately, Joselyne's family back in her village continued to struggle as one of her older sisters had to drop out when her mother, struggling to make ends meet and burdened by age and illness, could not afford to send all of her siblings to school.
Through it all, Joselyne says she "remained determined to succeed, lift my family out of poverty, and fulfill my mother's dreams." This determination led her to the African Leadership University (ALU), a pan-African school for future leaders founded by Fred Swaniker while at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. The school teaches leadership and entrepreneurial skills to students from across Africa. Fast Company recognized ALU's network of universities as the 3rd "Most Innovative Company" in Africa and CNN released a feature calling the university "the Harvard of Africa." Graca Machel, widow of Nelson Mandela, serves as the chancellor of the university.
At ALU, Joselyne aims to acquire the skills needed to create opportunities for her family and community. She envisions a future where she can provide comfort and security for her loved ones while contributing positively to society’s well-being. Through this program, she wants to study entrepreneurship to "cultivate innovative solutions to address socioeconomic challenges, ultimately uplifting [her] family and community. [Her] journey towards ALU is not only about personal growth but also about creating a lasting impact that aligns with [her] vision of a better future for all."
Please help us fundraise for Joselyne's tuition and room/ board at African Leadership University- every amount counts towards her future!
Organizer
Sonia Hernandez
Organizer
San Francisco, CA