Rwandan Scholars Reflect on Genocide Awareness Month, SHE-CAN at the Commonwealth Club

Scholar Updates —
Meet Three New Members of the SHE-CAN Class of 2020
It is our pleasure to introduce the remaining three young women in the 2015 cohort of scholars, who will be starting their freshman years this fall at some of the top schools in the United States. Alongside the previously announced six scholars, they make up next graduating class of future leaders in Cambodia and Rwanda. Congratulations to Irene, Maureen & Sryetom! We would also like to thank and acknowledge their mentors who have supported them through the application phase of their academic journeys and will continue to do so through graduation. Learn more about our mentor program HERE

Rwandan Scholars Reflect on Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month
April is Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month and marks the 22nd anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. In honor of these two important events, SHE-CAN scholars from Rwanda came together to share their thoughts and perspectives on the topic in a collaborative blog. We invite you to read their words and to reflect on how you too can honor those affected by this senseless violence and work to prevent genocide ideology in the future. The blog includes reflections from Assumpta Ishimwe, Ines Simbi, Irene Yayishimiye, Marie Grace Imanariyo, Maureen Kalimba, Peninah Ingabire, and Sandrine Uwisanze. Read the collaborative blog in full HERE

Incoming scholar Irene Yayishimiye, seen here in the lower left cradling the flame, performed in an annual youth event called Our Past in Kigali:
"During the event I had the opportunity to be part of a team that was performing a poem written by a friend Natasha Muhoza. The poem is called “Rwanda’s Children” and it portrayed the pain and grief expressed by parents who lost their children during the genocide. It also spreads a message of hope from those parents of how they see their lost children in the eyes of Rwandan youth today." — Irene Yayishimiye, Michigan State University class of 2020

This year, Peninah Ingabire and Sandrine Uwisanze pictured above on the left, organized the first ever Rwandan Genocide commemoration event at Muhlenberg College:
"I was immensely touched by the number of people who came to pledge, and support us during the event since not many of the students knew about the Genocide and this was the first time a commemoration took place at Muhlenberg." — Peninah Ingabire, Muhlenberg College class of 2019
"To build an inclusive and a peaceful society, people could reflect on the Rwandan Genocide and learn how to live with each regardless of their differences. Our racial and ethnical differences should be the stepping blocks to restore peace in different places around the world that are facing wars and conflicts." — Ange Sandrine Uwisanze, Muhlenberg College class of 2018

Women Fostering Women As Change-Agents Through Global Mentoring Panel Featuring SHE-CAN at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco

Panel Participants: Eileen Brewer of WAKE, Trish Tierney of WAKE, SHE-CAN scholar Jocelyn Mizero, and Barbara Bylenga of SHE-CAN

On March 22nd, SHE-CAN Executive Director Barbara Bylenga & SHE-CAN Scholar Jocelyn Mizero were featured on an engaging panel at The Commonwealth Club of California. The panel discussed how the organizations represented are leveraging personal one-on-one connections and resource sharing in an effort to shift the global female leadership paradigm. Speakers from SHE-CAN and WAKE International, the two organizations represented on the panel, spoke about their experience in building female leadership through directly connecting women and girls in developing countries with professional women in the U.S. who help them access higher education, technology resources and—most important—connect them with a global network dedicated to helping them succeed.

The entire discussion is now available to stream or download:
Listen online at The Commonwealth Club HERE
Download the Podcast on iTunes HERE

Our program matches teams of 4-6 mentors with high potential, low-income young women from post-conflict countries to help them on their journey to becoming a leader in their country. Each team comes together to support one scholar in applying for and earning a scholarship to a US college or university. More importantly, as a part of a mentor team, you help her prepare for and launch her career at home.

Sign up here for a 60-minute information session to learn more about how you can personally become a part of our global movement to build female leadership. Dates and times for these web-based conference sessions are as follows:

April 28th / 12 - 1pm PST
May 4th / 6 - 7pm PST
May 9th / 6 - 7pm PST
May 17th / 12 - 1pm PST
May 23rd / 6 - 7pm PST

Register for an info session HERE