So many parents in Rwisabi, Burundi live a subsistence life and are not able to even afford tuition fees and school supplies for their children. As you can imagine, illiteracy remains a serious problem for these families. The Daughters of Charity at Marguerite Naseau Nursery School bring education, health, and hope to these disadvantaged youngsters by providing basic education, nutritional support, and Christian formation. This attention to educating and nurturing these little ones with love and support helps to prepare them for success in primary school.

A local Sister shared the following:

When the children arrive on the first day of school, they often feel alone, scared, and isolated. They cry without wanting to be comforted. However, once they are educated, they flourish and are active participants in society. At school, every time a child comes in late, we encourage them to greet their classmates to help them to grow in punctuality and respect for themselves and others. We tell them that class is not like a market where you enter and leave as you want. One student was at home and his mother had gone somewhere. When she returned, she did not knock on the door. Her son told her, “You must not enter like you enter a market without knocking. That is not how we do it!” The mother was truly moved by her son’s words and she told us, “I did not know that my son had grown like that. When I first brought him to school, he was very shy and timid. I thank you and want to encourage you in your ministry.”

Source: http://www.daughtersips.org/