CEO Kristine Pearson is attending the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York City from 22-25 September 2009. This prestigious forum brings together world leaders, proven NGOs, prominent individuals and private sector decision-makers to take action on critical global challenges. Our Commitment to Action is to provide 20,000 rural women and girls in Rwanda with clean energy Lifelights and Lifeline radios. Interested females will sign up to participate in the nationwide project and will use their Lifelights to extend the hours of their small businesses or to start up new ones. More than 1,300 radio listening groups will be created to discuss important educational, health and agriculture information to help improve their lives.
His Excellency James Kimonyo, the Rwandan Ambassador to the US, is a strong supporter of our CGI Commitment. “No matter how far-reaching our Government’s efforts to promote education extend, our children will not become educated with only a few hours of reading each week,” said the Ambassador. “The ability to read and study after nightfall is the key to success in the classroom.”
Thousands of non-profits vie for an invitation to CGI and we are honoured to be among a handful of organisations that received a complementary invitation, allowing us to forego the $20,000 attendance fee.
Our long-standing project partners CARE International in Rwanda, Fair Children Youth Foundation, Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace, Trust and Care and Radio Salus will be partnering with us on this important initiative.
