» Suzanne McGill describes how she and Shal Foster, two Seattle moms, built a girls school in rural Rwanda while being interviewed for Rainmakers.TV. Th documentary series communicates stories of leadership, innovation and social responsibility that inspire global transformation.... read more
» 11.1.11 has been proclaimed by Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn as a day to recognize the accomplishments, innovation and impact of Washington State’s growing global development sector. Global Action Day is an opportunity for Washingtonians to learn about, support and join Rwanda Girls Initiative and more than 140 members of Global Washington who are working to create jobs at home and impact lives ... read more
» As the leaves on the trees in Seattle are beginning to change colors and we are settling into fall and a new school year, the girls at the Gashora Girls Academy are nearing completion of their first academic year. It’s truly remarkable how quickly the time is flying by… it seems like just yesterday that Soozi and I, along with friends from the U.S. and Rwanda, celebr... read more
» Lessons Learned by Lisa Rico Falling in love with 90 young women was not in my thoughts when I volunteered to teach at Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology (GGAST) this summer. I am not a teacher. I’m an artist who happens to love Rwanda. I paint women and children survivors of war, most of who are from Rwanda. So when asked if I would consider teaching art at t... read more
» Rwanda Girls Initiative is proud to have been selected by local non-profit BEAN as their 2011 Think Global Act Local (TGAL) campaign fundraising recipient. Founded in 2003 BEAN is a volunteer-run charitable organization that seeks to connect young professionals through leadership, friendship and service. Originally based in Seattle, BEAN now has over 10,000 members in 11 chapters located in major ... read more
» Friends of Rwanda Girls Initiative gathered on May 13th in Seattle to reflect upon and celebrate the incredible progress of the past year as we moved the vision of providing a high quality secondary school education to the girls of Rwanda from a dream to a reality. Co-founders, Shalisan Foster and Suzanne Sinegal McGill, spoke to guests of the many milestone moments in the journey t... read more
» By Peter Thorp, Head of School, Gashora Girls Academy I’m writing this just an hour before our first term final examination Physics exam is about to start. After three years of planning and many months of construction, teacher hiring and preparation, national advertising and student enrollment, we are open and functioning just like a real school! And real we are... read more
» On the NYTimes.com today, Rwanda Girls Initiative is featured in a blog post by Josh Ruxin for Nicholas Kristof’s “On the Ground” blog. We are fortunate to have Josh as a friend and supporter of the project, and loved reading his strong defense of the need for girls education in Rwanda. An excerpt is below, and the full article can be read here: “Girls in the Sp... read more
» Beginnings… By Suzanne Sinegal McGill It’s hard to believe that less than 3 years ago Shal and I were first in Rwanda trying to decide where best to fit in to support education in the country. On Friday, February 25, we stood up to welcome the first class of 90 amazing girls, their parents, more than 400 people from the local community, the Governor of the Eastern... read more
» Education for All recently published this progress report on girls education across the global and highlights interventions that work to keep girls in school. The Gashora Girls Academy addresses many of the challenges that girls face through our girls' boarding school. We were excited to read the report to learn the latest research about what works in girls eduation. ... read more