When graduate students Dan Kordenbrock and Roshani Mahadevan returned from their Rwandan study abroad trip with French Associate Professor Rangira Béa Gallimore, they came home inspired.
The result of this inspiration is the new student chapter of the national “Step Up! American Assocation for Rwandan Women” organization.
“Dan and I maintained a passion for Rwanda,” Mahadevan said. “He went back to Rwanda on an internship during summer 2010 and when he came back he didn’t want to lose the Kinyarwanda he had learned so Dr. Gallimore suggested he teach English to this particular group of people so he could continue to practice. As for me, I am an intern for the national Step Up! and was urged and self-motivated to create a student chapter as one of my assignments.”
The national non-profit organization is based in Columbia, and was started by Gallimore in 2004. It works to provide counseling training in Rwanda so more people, particularly women, will know how to counsel others.
Additionally, the organization raises funds to purchase cows and bees, which are then given to the Abasa, a group of women in Rwanda who were all victims of gender-based violence during the genocide.
“The cows and bees provide economic stability for these women as they can sell the products of these animals,” Mahadevan said.
Mahadevan said the 1994 Rwandan genocide left many of these women with HIV and AIDS. Despite their dire circumstances, the women persevere.
“Rwandan women are full of inspiration,” Mahadevan said. “Currently, the Rwandan government contains one of the highest percentages of women in government in the world. This is an incredible example that many countries can look to.”
Mahadevan said the student organization will fundraise for the Abasa through local and campus events, including selling Rwandan coffee.
“We understand that not everyone can travel to Rwanda, but anyone could meet up with a refugee or immigrant for a small amount of time to help teach English or make that person feel welcomed into Columbia,” Mahadevan said.
She asks anyone interested in this plight to come to its meeting at 6 p.m. Sunday in room 309 of the Arts and Sciences Building.
“We encourage anyone who thinks they might have an interest to send us an e-mail or come to our meetings,” Mahadevan said.
Freshman Katarina Sostaric is one of these people.
“I never heard anything about the population of genocide survivors in Columbia,” Sostaric said. “This organization will give me a chance to help women who are usually not noticed.”
Students interested in areas spanning teaching to event planning are encouraged to help the cause Mahadevan describes as incredible.
“An incredible amount of women in Rwanda are learning how to live next door to someone who was a perpetrator in the genocide, a victim or someone with post traumatic stress disorder,” Mahadevan said. “By aiding in the empowerment of these women, we can see them create the life they want for themselves.”
