Social and economic difficult situations of families remain one of the main barriers to deny children the opportunity to attend school. Kare’s story highlights how children can still breed their dreams with joint community support.
Kare*, 12 years old boy, was born with a heart condition, a challenge his family initially thought manageable. But as he grew up, the illness worsened, eventually forcing him to drop out of school. This school abandonment was caused by the incapacity of his mother to find money for medical care and for primary education at the same time.
“But I couldn’t afford school materials or his medical care. I had to choose between his health and his education,” recalls Ara*, a single mother of seven.
For a full year, Kare stayed home, watching other children of her age go to school while his dream of becoming a government officer dimmed. He is the sixth of seven siblings, most of whom are not attending school. Only his immediate younger sibling remains in class.
Everything changed when a community youth volunteer identified Kare* during the Zero Out of School Children (OOSC) campaign. Local authorities responded to Ara*’s plea and provided her with the support she needed, including school uniform and basic learning materials. “I was lucky,” she says. “When I explained that I had no means, they understood me and helped us.”
Kare was enrolled in Primary One, in one of the schools in Northern Province, even though his agemates were already in Primary 6, it didn’t discourage him. “From the first day, I could tell that Kare was smart and eager to learn. He’s among the top five students in his class,” says teacher Pa with 25 years of experience.
But life is still far from easy. Kare*’s heart condition sometimes causes painful episodes during school hours. “When that happens, we call his mother to come and take him home,” teacher Pa explains. “Still, you can see how much school changes a child. He is clean, disciplined, and peaceful with others. School brings out the best in him.”
His mother remains hopeful. “I’m a farmer. Sometimes I get small jobs working on other people’s fields to earn a little money. But Kare’s medical needs and education are still hard to balance.”
Despite the odds, Kare* continues to excel. At the end of his first quarter, he was awarded for outstanding academic performance.
With the support of Rwanda Ministry of Education and the Qatar Fund for Development through the Education Above All Foundation (EAA), Kare’s story is a testament to the power of inclusive education in Rwanda. With community support and the Zero OOSC project, he is not just surviving; he is thriving.
Zero Out of School Children Project seeks to ensure that every child who attains primary school age, is in school and learning. To achieve this enormous but noble mission, a multisectoral approach has been adopted to ensure all players are involved and well-coordinated to sustainably and contextually address barriers faced by out-of-school children.
Zero Out of School Children Project continues to work with community structures, other government bodies and various stakeholders to do what it takes to ensure that children who are out of school join and complete their primary education – setting them up for successful higher education.
