The Akilah Institute for Women

Jonathan Kleiman – Health and Nutrition Instructor

Um.  That’s my boss with the president of Rwanda.  The full story’s coming.

Jonathan Kleiman – Health and Nutrition Teacher

Akilah student Jackline performed an original poem last week during the weekly student showcase.  She moved many of us to tears.  Below is the full text of her speech and an intimate encore performance.

God, you created man in your own image, but felt he could not live without woman.  Men say that women are weak, but for me, I don’t see them like that.  They are strong because they do great jobs. For example, they carry a fetus in their womb for nine months. But men can’t do that, even one month they can’t afford. So this is the reason why I say that they are stronger than men.

More to that, they are very brilliant but some don’t have room to express it, mostly in Africa because of cultural beliefs. My God, help African women.

Women are very great because they are kind enough, given the chance they can be good leaders who don’t engage in war anyhow, in that they are hurt by what hurts others.

My God, you said it with truth where you said, first we will be the last, men were created first but they don’t do the first things – They don’t care if children are dying of malnutrition, for example in Sudan and Somalia. And some Muslim women don’t have room to talk about it.

God who created woman, I call you in the big voice – Come and help women because some are like prisoners. They are not allowed to go far from their home premises. They are prisoners of men and the kitchen is their office and I don’t think they are happy with it, in that you gave them reasoning capacity like men to choose bad and good. So help them to have a room to express their views.

Given the chance they can be creative, investors, artists, and they can start schools.

They can create good things which don’t harm people, but men are creating harmful things to mislead young girls. My youngest sisters, my fellow students, I want to remind you that we are not still in the dark ages where everyone could pick fruits and eat free of charge. We have to stand for something or we will follow for nothing. Tell sugar daddies to leave you alone.

They can invest in hotels which can give jobs opportunities to many people, but some men are busy diverting ships in Indian Ocean, so that they can be given some money, which is not a good investment.

They can set up schools, which can give a chance to both girls and boys, on their continent and beyond, which is a sign of kindness.

God, I think it was not an accident to create women in that they are unique people who are tolerant and patient.

But you women have to remember that no one was blessed by God while doing nothing. For example, John was a fisherman, David was a shepherd, Moses was a Shepherd, and Mary Mother of Jesus was a potter. So we have to stand up and do small things.

I said you are like prisoners, but you have to remember that you are prisoners of many things, but we don’t have to be prisoners of ourselves. I have a good example for you: Johnson-Sirleaf, who led her country out of problems when men had failed.

God, I have heard your voice calling me to come out of this hidden place and remove this wrap so that everybody can see me and I will be able to express my views.

I can’t stop without saying these big words: “Sorry” and “Thank You.”

I am sorry because I have pointed fingers to men, and it’s not my work to judge others and there are some men who did good, like Rick Warren who wrote “A Purpose-Driven Life.”

Thank you, God, for loving me because I have a room to express my views.

I have reason to say thank you in that I didn’t know that I am a poet, but Akilah in general and my teacher Miss Mary drew this out of me.

Thank you, Lord

Irene Kagoya – Leadership and Ethics Instructor

“Murakoze cyane cyane” means “thank you very very much” in Kinyarwanda.

There are times you want to say “thank you” in a more meaningful way; it feels as if “thank you” or even “thank you very very much” is not enough. At Akilah we are often short of words to say thank you to the people who support us.  Every contribution, financial or moral, counts. Every contribution puts a smile on not only the fifty students at Akilah but also their communities.

I had the opportunity to talk to one of our student’s guardians, and I remember her saying with a radiant smile, “When I heard that my niece had been admitted I knew for sure that God had made a miracle for us.”

I am amazed that there are so many people out there who are willing to sacrifice more than a penny to make the students’ experiences meaningful. For us to be associated with them is a blessing. Last month, a family donated a projector and a stack of leadership books to Akilah in order to support our coursework. Last week, Hannah Smith, our 7-year-old superstar donor, sent the Akilah students a box of school supplies. Wow.

So as we begin the second half of our first semester, we want to take this opportunity to give a shout to all our supporters and say thank you so so much for all your support. Our students are working tirelessly to meet their goals and we assure you that the Akilah team is dedicated to supporting them through this journey.

Monique in the classroom

Monique Schmidt, our Program Director, is featured in the Ithaca Journal!

When Africa called her back, Monique Schmidt listened.

After a year of living in Ithaca, working as an adjunct professor at Tompkins Cortland Community College and a server at Moosewood, she applied for a position as the director of the Akilah Institute for Women in Rwanda. If she got the position, she’d have to build the school from the ground up.

By the time she got off the phone last November, she had accepted the job — and she would be leaving for Rwanda in two weeks.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE>>>