life changing experience in Rwanda with DWC

I had an amazing time with Jenn and Dan as our DWC leaders for 5 weeks in Rwanda during the summer of 2010. We spent our time in a small village called Gashora where we were building a community center for a women's group called COVAGA. The COVAGA women are a co-operative of basket weavers who harvest an agressive plant called the water hyacinth, then they weave baskets out of it and sell it to help their family and the co-op. Not only do they make money, they have a sustainable business that saves their crops from the water hyacinth and the profits help support the families of the co-op. The women and children worked with us on the site EVERY DAY working so hard (much harder, and effectively than any of the volunteers could work). Even though the language barrier was difficult at times, we always could communicate with a smile, a hug or laughter.

Every day was a challenge in its own way but volunteering with DWC was the most rewarding thing I have ever done. On the weekends, we visited the capital city of Kigali, learned about the genocide in Rwanda and visited the gorillas in the north.

Volunteering with DWC is something I will always cherish and remember for the rest of my life. I would not hesitate to do it again in a second!