School Meals: The £ is thankfully picking up again, so RSVP is now paying about £0.40 par meal. Please check August 2009 Newsletter for the latest figures and cost. A trend and cummulation of figures and cost are available from School Meals Section.

Bursaries: Bursaries rise from just 3 in 2008 to 8 in 2009. Please check Bursaries out from Current Projects 

Community Lending Programme: An experiment is ongoing and please read our Consultation Document and lend us your thoughts. Thank you.

School Desks: 100 desks have kindly been funded by by Kitchen Table Charities Trust. 60 have already been delivered at the school. Report and photographs to follow soon. In meantime, for more news on this, please read June 2009 Newsletter, thank you.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Global Giving Challenge.  The challenge was to get 50 donors to donate to our project in one month via the Global Giving website.  The reward being a permanent place on the Global Giving site.

We did not make the cut this time.  However:

• we achieved 21 donations, mainly from people who have not previously donated to the project.
• Hands Around the World (HATW) contacted us on seeing our project, with a view to exploring ways that we can work in partnership. 

HATW have already made a difference to us, as they have introduced us to Custom House.  Custom House money transfer system should reduce the cost of money transfers from £20 each to £2.50 each, resulting in a saving of over £200 a year.  As money transfers would then covered by bank interest perhaps we will truly be able to say that 100% of your donations will be spent directly on project work. 

Global Giving invite charities to take part in challenges every six months and so we will take up the challenge again in a year or 18 months time.

10k Balmoral fundraising run: Mr Ajish Varghese had a double joy on Saturday 25th as his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy and he completed the 10k, raising £291 to date on behalf of RSVP. So congratulations all round to the happiest man on the Balmoral run.

Donors’ lunch on 11 Apr 2009: RSVP supporters met together in Aberdeen to discuss our progress so far. The feedback was very helpful and will be discussed at the AGM on May 30th. Thanks to those who gave up a Saturday afternoon to provide invaluable feedback.

Independent inspection report: Secondary school starter packs to be introduced and funding for desks sought as a result of the inspection report produced by Pastor Emmanuel.

New books arrived: In March the school received the support books provided by RSVP but the text books that the government are providing did not arrive in the first term. However we have had news that they have arrived at the school in time for the second term. We are now just waiting to hear confirmation that these cover all subjects and the ratio of books to children.

National primary school test for 2009: The Rwandan government have announced that there will be national primary school tests in 2009 after all. As yet we don’t know what language the test will be in or what it means to those who pass or fail.

Click here to read Janice’ full report on what has been happening in April 2009.

The Rwandan team met with teachers and parents to select two bursary students for 2009.  Solange, who features in the RSVP video, having already been awarded a bursary.  The selection proved to be very challenging.  The group agreed that six families were in need of help but finally agreed on the two families in most desperate need.  Sponsors have been provided with the details of the children they have agreed to sponsor.
We believe that all the children have gone back to school for the 2nd term, but are awaiting confirmation that the four children who were identified as in need of help have made it.  RSVP trustees have discussed the situation and have agreed to seek additional sponsors for the four children.  For 2009, only £30 is needed for the 3rd term as parents will have paid the 2nd term fees.  Going forward the commitment is £85 -£115 per annum for the next five years.  The exact cost is dependent on the school.  If you would be willing to sponsor one of these children please contact our treasurer Drew on drew@rsvpcharity.org.co.uk or call him (after 6 p.m.) on 01224 483 644.