Campaign Guide 2011

Welcome to the Back To School Campaign!

ONE CHAPTER, ONE CHILD

All it takes is $250 to send one student in Rwanda to school for an entire year. Thats $25 from 10 people or $5 from 50 people.

Table of Contents
Take Action.... 3 About the Back To School Campaign... 5 A Student Story.6 Campaign Ideas.. 8 Chapter Resources... 9

Take Action
INTRODUCE As a FACE AIDS chapter leader, you are the essential link between the National Team and your chapter. Take in this guide and introduce the Back to School Campaign to your chapter. Let them know what the campaign is, why its important, and that your chapter can make a huge difference in the life of a student in Rwanda by raising $250 to send them to school for a year. FUNDRAISE We are relying on each FACE AIDS chapter to raise $250 by October 15 to help us meet our national goal of $10,000. There are multiple ways you can take action to support the Back To School Campaign. In this packet, you will find a list of ideas for events, and chapter resources. You can use them as a starting point but figure out what works best for your chapter and your school. When you meet with your chapter, brainstorm ideas for events that are more specific to your school. Also be sure to consider what you can do as an individual in addition to a group. For instance, if you receive payment for tutoring a student, you could contribute Septembers wages to the Campaign. Dont forget to submit the funds youve raised http://www.faceaids.org/donate.html or mail them to us at: FACE AIDS P.O. Box 46 Palo Alto, CA 94302 EDUCATE To help chapter members learn more about the issues surrounding the campaigns, FACE AIDS has developed monthly educational resources. For the 2011 Back To School Campaign, the theme is Educational Inequalities. You can find it at www.faceaids.org/backtoschool.html. The purpose of this theme is for chapter members to learn more about education in Rwanda, how education is related to HIV/AIDS and how education is integral to achieving global health equity. Included in the monthly theme are topics such as the Rwandan educational system, the brain drain, gender inequality, and more. You can use these resources to educate yourself, your chapter, and your campus. Present one of the topics at each of your chapter meetings using the Prezi, ask members to read an article on gender inequality before the meeting and lead a short discussion on it, or start a FACE AIDS book club. You can even screen short videos while youre tabling or at the event youre planning to support the Campaign.
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About the Back To School Campaign

FACE AIDS is teaming up with the School Fees Program of Partners In Health and their sister organization in Rwanda, Inshuti Mu Buzima, to raise $10,000 to send youth to school in Rwanda. Partners In Health (PIH) began working in Rwanda in 2005 upon invitation from the Rwandan government. As part of their comprehensive approach to community health, PIH implemented a School Fees Program to subsidize the cost of school supplies, uniforms, and tuition for children who would have otherwise been unable to attend school. In Rwanda, primary and secondary school public school is not free. Students are expected to pay for their own books, uniforms, school supplies, and tuition. For many families, school is simply too expensive. Or, in other cases, students had their education interrupted by war and genocide and now lack the resources to return to school. For these youth, the education provided by the School Fees Program is a way to pull both themselves and their families out of poverty. Education is crucial in their a pathway to a better life. THE STUDENTS There are currently 522 students enrolled in the Rwanda School Fees Program. PIH social workers work to select the students primarily by working with HIV associations who help to identify a certain percentage of the most vulnerable students among association members and their families. A small number of students are also selected directly by the social workers themselves or through referrals from the hospital or during other social assistance activities. For example, children of AIDS patients admitted to the hospital are often supported through the program. Follow-up with students and participating schools is one of the most important but also one of the most challenging aspects of the program. Social workers conduct at least one follow-up visit per year per student, generally at the beginning of the first term, to ensure that the students are actually enrolled and attending school. This physical follow-up is also supplemented by home visits for as many students as is possible. THE SCHOOLS Students in the school fees program may attend either public or private school. To be eligible for public school, students must perform at a certain level on the final national exams in primary school. Of the secondary schools in Rwanda, these public government schools are the highest quality. The majority of sponsored students, however, do not qualify for enrollment in public secondary schools. These students must continue studying at private schools, which are roughly twice as expensive as public schools, and are generally of lower quality, as they do not receive government subsidies. In the experience of the social workers, the quality of the private
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school directly correlates to the tuition. Private school students, once selected, choose the school that is most convenient in terms of location or other factors. TUITION Tuition fees vary widely between public and private schools. For public school students, the School Fees program covers all of their tuition, which is on average approximately $194 or 110,000 RWF (567 RWF = $1). For private school students, the program covers a maximum of $317 or 180,000 RWF per year, which leaves approximately $123 or 70,000 RWF (depending on the school) in tuition fees that the students must provide themselves. Many students have significant problems providing these remaining funds, and the social worker team is very concerned that students may resort to exchanging sex for money in order to come up with the remaining fees. This year, the tuitions for both public and private secondary school are expected to increase, so this problem will only be exacerbated in the upcoming year. In fact, it is expected that a large number of students will drop out of the program due to this tuition increase. For this reason, FACE AIDS support of the school fees program this year is especially important. It is absolutely critical that FACE AIDS members meet our goal and fulfill our promise to these students.

war and the to 2009) I couldnt A Student StoryMy Story (from 1983genocide.trauma. continue studying because of my

by John Zirimwabagabo

While in the refugee camp, I lived with my older sister, Jeanette, who was then 15 years John is a graduate of the PIH School Fees Program and a FACE old. AIDS Program Assistant in Rwanda

By John Zirimwabagabo

My name is lived in the camp, especially because was born in John Frank Zirimwabagabo, and I it was Rwanda in the Eastern Province, in Rubirizi and other very hard to find enough to eat neighborhood of Nasho sector, Kirehe district. things that are necessary for survival. To find
th I was born in 1983 on forest for of March. I have three sisters and the nearby the 15 firewood. We would then an older brother. In 1990, the market for7 years old, I started sell the wood at when I was money so that studying inwe could buy food forHowever,After living in year, a primary school. ourselves. in that same war startedthe our country. The werelasted more than 4 years. in camp for a year, we war finally reunited

Life was very difficult during the time that we

food, my big sister and I would often hunt in

with my mother. In 1996, we all th returned to John is a graduate of the PIH School Fees At that time, it was 1994, and I was 11 years old. I was studying as refugees. in my 5 year of primary our country after 2 years Program and a former school. In the month of April, which was during our 2nd trimester, the ethnic war that lead to the FACE AIDS Program Assistant in Rwanda genocide of Tutsis began. My father wasIn 1998, my the genocide. After his death, I fled killed during mother became ill, and to Tanzania along with my older sister. discovered that she was HIV positive.stayed in Rwanda My mother and my younger sisters This while I fled. Eventually, I reached I made life Tanzania. I but, because my My name is John Frank Zirimwabagabo, and a refugee camp in more difficult,became very traumatized because of everything that Province, during the war had grown up, it was couldn!t was born in Rwanda in the Eastern had happened older sister and Iand the genocide. I easier to continue studying because of my in Rubirizi neighborhood of Nasho sector, trauma.deal with our problems than while we were Kirehe district. refugees. In that same year, my older sister

While in the refugee camp, I lived with my got married,Jeanette,is how I then 15 years old. older sister, which who was became I was Life was very difficult during theI time that we livedfor the camp, especially my born in 1983 on the 15th of March. responsible in my family. It was because it have three very hard to find enough to eat and other things that are necessary family sisters and an older brother. In was responsibility to make sure that my for survival. To 1990, find food,was bigyears old, II would often hunt in the nearby forest for needed to live. I would then when I my 7 sister and started was fed and had everything it firewood. We studying inthe woodschool. market for money so that we could buy food for ourselves.small living in the primary at the However, in that sell immediately started to work on various After same campafor a started in were finally The year, war year, we our country. reunited with my mother. In money:we all returned to our businesses to make 1996, I raised chickens war lasted more than2 years as refugees. 4 years. and goats, sold eggs, and also farmed country after
sorghum and beans. I had to do all of this At that time, it was 1994, and I was 11 years In 1998, my mother became ill, and discovered that she mother was sick and This made life alone, because my was HIV positive. did old. I was studying in my 5th year of primary more difficult, but, because my older sisternot have the strength to was easier provide with our and I had grown up, it help me to to deal school. In the month of April, which was problems than while we were refugees. Infor our family. that same year, my older sister got married, which is during our 2nd trimester, the ethnic war that how I became responsible for my family. It was my responsibility to make sure that my lead to the genocide of Tutsis began. My In 1999, in the month of September, work family was fed and had everything it needed to live. I immediately started to my on father was killed during the genocide. After various small businesses to make money: mother forced me to return to school eggs, and also I raised chickens and goats, sold to start his death, I fled to Tanzania along with my my studies again. I agreed mother was sick and did farmed sorghum and beans. I had to do all of this alone, because my with her and older sister. My mother and my younger wanted to return not have the strength to help me to provide for our family. to school, but before I left sisters stayed in Rwanda while I fled. for school I earned enough money to buy a Eventually, I reached a refugee camp in field of banana trees to help my mother Tanzania. I became very traumatized because provide food for herself and my little sisters. of everything that had happened during the When I returned to my 5th year of primary school, I was 16 years old. Even though I was 6

a new student, I took the first place in my class ranking at the end of that year, with the highest score on the national exams (my score was higher than 95%). My mother was very happy she was proud that, even though I was a new student, I had earned the highest place in my grade. I finished primary school in June of 2001, passing the national exam with high marks. Because of this success, I was able to continue my secondary studies. From 2002 to 2003, I studied at the Groupe Scholaire Saint Aloys Secondary School in Rwamagana town. In my 2nd year of secondary school, in 2004, my mother died of AIDS. I was left with my younger sisters, who were then studying in their third year of primary school. My life became very complicated then, and I thought that I would have to drop out of school because I had no money to pay tuition fees. When I was in the 2nd trimester of my 3rd year, I finally did have to leave school: at that time, my family did not have a large enough house to live in, and I started building another home for my little sisters. After 2 months, I had the opportunity to meet social workers from Partners in Health, and they began to provide my family with social assistant and to help me pay my school fees. I was able to continue my studies, and I again passed the national exam, making me eligible to continue studying in the biology and chemistry combination track. I finished my secondary studies in 2008. Because of my success in the final national exam, I won

a national scholarship to continue my studies at university. After receiving the scholarship, I was very worried, because I realized that I didnt have enough money to cover the registration fees for university. I went to discuss the problem with the Director of FACE AIDS, Annie Kalt, during the 2008 Youth Forum, which was held to celebrate international World AIDS Day. I told her my story, and also that I had a national scholarship but could not afford the costs of registration. Annie then decided to invite all of the students sponsored by PIH who had government scholarships to apply for a position with FACE AIDS as a HIV/AIDS Advocacy Student Assistants. I applied, and, along with my colleague Francois Habinshuti, was offered the position. Now, I work with Francois on all of FACE AIDS activities. Because FACE AIDS has helped me not only to pay my registration fees but also to resolve many of my familys problems (such as our poverty), I hope and want to continue working with FACE AIDS in the future. I would also like to develop relationships and possibly correspond with members of FACE AIDS in the US. I am hoping to found FACE AIDS chapters in several universities here in Rwanda, and I would love to hear the ideas and advice of members of FACE AIDS in the US. In the future, I hope to visit the US to see FACE AIDS American chapters and learn more from FACE AIDS activities in the US.

Campaign Ideas
Place a donation box out at your school library, your local library, and businesses around campus and town. Make a Back To School kit that includes a pin, bookmark, and other school survival supplies like snacks, beverages, a small notepad, etc. Set up a table in an area with high traffic so students can either buy the kit for themselves or have it delivered to a friend. Screen Pin of Hope at your school. Follow the video with a discussion or guest speaker and sell bookmarks at the event. Organize a Pancake Breakfast, Candy Sale, a Pizza Night, or an Ice Cream Scoop night. Organize a sports tournament. Bookmarks and pins can serve as the entry fee. Collaborate with a local business for a sponsorship night. Ask the business or restaurant to donate a portion of a certain days proceeds to the campaign. Approach the freshmen early. Set a goal to sell the number of pins equal to the number of incoming freshmen. Selling bookmarks and pins at orientation activities and activities fairs is an excellent way to reach out. Collaborate with the kick-off events at your school. Get speakers at your school to wear the pin or give to the Back To School Campaign. Encourage competition. See which dorm or class year can sell the most bookmarks and pins. Ask your football team to wear the pin on game day. For high schools, talk to the PTA or School Activities Board to see if you can sell bookmarks and pins at Back To School Night or similar events.

Chapter Resources
Sample Letters
The following letter is an example of how to ask other student groups to spread the word. Dear Kaylen, My name is Jamie Jones and I am the Outreach Coordinator of the Michigan FACE AIDS Chapter. FACE AIDS mission is to fight HIV/AIDS by building a movement of youth dedicated to global health equity and social justice. This year were putting on a Back TO School Campaign to support students in Rwanda who are otherwise unable to attend school. Were trying to spread awareness about the campaign and we would really appreciate it if you could put a short insert in your next email to Students Against Malaria. You and the rest of Students Against Malaria have done such amazing work on our campus and it would mean a lot to us if you could get the word out about the FACE AIDS Back To School Campaign. The following is the insert: We need your help! Join the FACE AIDS Michigan Back To School Campaign to send a Rwandan student back to school this fall. The Back To School Campaign benefits the Partners In Health School Fees Program, which provides students who would otherwise lack access to school with the means to attend. This includes covering their tuition, uniforms, books, supplies, and transportation. By donating to this campaign, you are standing in solidarity with students in Rwanda and ensuring that their right to education. Come to the Student Union any day this week and donate to receive a bookmark and pin! If you have any questions, feel free to email me! Please let me know if youll be able to help. Thanks, Jamie

Use this letter to send to your school librarian to ask if you can place a donation box at the main desk.

Dear Mrs. Fieldman, My name is Joe, and Im the President of FACE AIDS at Vassar College, a student organization that works to fight HIV/AIDS in the United States and Rwanda. Im writing to ask for your support in our first event of the year, the Back To School Campaign. The FACE AIDS Back To School Campaign provides necessary means to students in Rwanda to school by benefiting the Partners In Health School Fees Program. This program benefits students with the necessities such as tuition, books, uniforms, and transportation. This year, each FACE AIDS Chapter across the country is working to send one youth to school. In order to do this, we are each raising $250. Will you help Vassar College send a Rwandan youth back to school? Wed like to provide you with a box to place at the circulation desk so when students, faculty, or staff check out books, theyll have the chance to join the Back To School Campaign by donating for a bookmark. All they have to do is slip $5 in the box and select a bookmark and pin. Every dollar that we raise ensures that a Rwandan student can continue their education. IT has been shown that education is one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways of preventing the spread of HIV.

If you can help us reach our goal, please email me at joe@vassar.edu or call me at 315.454.9900.

Thank you! Joe

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Use this letter to send to grocery stores, school supply stores, or your school bookstore.

Dear Mr. Pearson, My name is Brittany, and Im the Vice President of FACE AIDS at Valley High School. We are a student organization that works to fight HIV/AIDS in the United States and Rwanda. Im writing to ask for your support in our first event of the year, the FACE AIDS Back To School Campaign. The FACE AIDS Back To School Campaign sends HIV-affected Rwandan youth back to school by benefiting the Partners In Health School Fees Program. The Partners In Health School Fees Program provides students who would otherwise be unable to go to school with the necessary supplies, tuition, books, uniforms, and transportation. This year, each FACE AIDS Chapter across the country is working to send one child to school. In order to do this, were raising $250 as a chapter by distributing bookmarks and pins for $5 each. Will you help us send a Rwandan student back to school? Wed like to provide you with a box to place at the cash register so when members of our community shop with you, theyll have a chance to join the Back TO School Campaign by getting a bookmark. All they have to do is slip $5 in the box and select a bookmark and pin. Every dollar that we raise ensures that a Rwandan student can continue their education. IT has been shown that education is one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways of preventing the spread of HIV. If you can help us reach our goal, please email me at Brittany@gmail.com or call me at 434.987.1000. Thank you! Brittany

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Logos and Labels

100% of donations go to the Partners In Health School Fees Program, which provides Rwandan students with the means to go back to school. This includes tuition, school supplies, uniforms, and transportation. Help us reach our $250 goal by purchasing a bookmark and pin. $5 helps send a student back to school.

$5

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