Update on the impact of your FACE AIDS Back to School project

Roseville, CA

About Me: Hi! My name is Patrick Gill, a current junior at the University of Notre Dame studying history and political science. I'm originally from Sacramento, CA and definitely remain a Cali boy at heart. I play clarinet in the Notre Dame marching band and enjoy swimming, ultimate frisbee, and good movies. Because my mom is an elementary school teacher, I have always been interested in education issues. An education is the most certain way to ensure that people are able to rise out of poverty. An education is even more vital in the globalized world in which we live. By offering others the chance at achieving one, we give both them and their family a brighter future. We can make a difference not just in the lives of the students themselves, but in their entire communities.

The majority of youth in the Kirehe and Kayonza districts of Eastern Province, Rwanda, live in extreme poverty and are not able to enjoy their right to an education. The most vulnerable youth are those that are HIV-affected, a large portion of whom are orphans. They have the greatest chance of not receiving secondary schooling or proper HIV treatment. In Rwanda, primary schooling is free but secondary schooling is not. The cost to attend secondary for a year averages out to around $250. As the average GNI per capita is $410, the majority of HIV-affected children are unable to afford secondary schooling and are forced to drop out. The FACE AIDS 2010 Back to School Campaign aims to raise funds to send HIV-affected Rwandan youth to secondary school. All funds raised through the campaign are granted out through the Partners In Health School Fees Program in Rwanda, which supports students who are infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS by providing them with tuition for secondary school and, in some cases, other school-related costs. The Back to School Campaign has the potential to help up to 656 students attend secondary school in Rwanda. Every dollar that we raise ensures that a Rwandan student can continue their education. By joining the campaign, you are standing in solidarity with HIV-affected students in Rwanda, ensuring that they can enjoy the same right to an education as you do.

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