L to R: Paul Johnson, Vanathy Ravindran, K. R. “Ravi” Ravindran, Florianne Nibakure and Elizabeth Johnson.

Grace Rwanda has long been supported by the selfless volunteer work and the generous donations from local B.C. Rotary Clubs including the Rotary Club of Langley Sunrise and District 5050.

That’s why we were thrilled to meet with Rotary International leadership in March at an event in Rwanda.

Elizabeth and Paul met Rotary International President K. R. “Ravi” Ravindran and his wife Vanathy during one of their visits to the African nation. The couple were joined by representatives from the 10 central African countries of District 9150.

The Johnsons also met with the president of the Minneapolis University Rotary Club, Florianne Nibakure. She is also working in Rwanda, as the founder and executive director of the Nibakure Children’s Village in Rwanda.

Rwanda’s First Lady, Jeanette Kagame as well as Rwanda’s Minister of Education and Minister of Health also attended the celebration.

It was a very special moment and we were able to express our thanks for all the assistance that Rotarians have provided us over the years.

As part of the visit, the president toured a library funded by Rotary five years ago. It is the last one they have built on their own.

Grace Rwanda is proud to be taking up the cause in building our own youth centre libraries, with the next one in Kimisagara set to open this spring. Our libraries were made possible in part through the thousands of dollars donations and thousands of dictionaries supplied by our own dedicated Rotary partners in B.C. We extend you a heartfelt thank you.

We are happy to be joining so many other Rotarians in bringing literacy to Rwanda. Stay tuned for more updates on our work.

You can get regular updates on our work by following @GraceRwanda, liking us on Facebook, adding us in your Google+ circle, and watching our videos on YouTube.