Nov 2, 2022

burton + BURTON completes second school in Rwanda

burton + BURTON announced the completion of the second school in Rwanda funded by Weaving Hope.

Weaving Hope aims to fund new schools for Rwandan children with sales of beautiful handcrafted baskets made by local artisans in the small village of Gitarama.

All of the proceeds go directly to building schools that will nourish the minds and bodies of children–weaving hope for their future, the company says. burton + BURTON and Beacon Technologies partnered on this mission for four years, from conception to fulfillment to the sale of 1,500 baskets that ultimately led to the construction of the two schools.

The first preschool opened in 2019 and has been a centerpiece for the families in the Nkuzuzu community, burton + BURTON says. The second school was conceived as a Center for Early Childhood Educational Excellence that serves both as a preschool and a training center for the East African Christian College. The center allows college students to work in a student-teaching and training environment that allows them to become preschool teachers upon graduation. There is an increased need for qualified teachers to support the growth of preschool facilities in the Rwanda area.

“We estimate that over the next five years, the center will produce over
400 teachers and serve as a preschool for over 500 children,” said Rev. Ethan Carlson, director of the Rwanda Ministry Partners. “However, it’s bigger than that. These 400-plus teachers will go out into Rwanda’s preschools to impact the lives of thousands of children every year.”

The preschool is dedicated to the families of Kabuga by burton + BURTON and Beacon Technologies. The school is also devoted in loving memory of both owners’ parents: Emma Lou and Maxie Hubbard (parents of Maxine H. Burton), Louise and Ellis Burton (parents of Robert Burton), Zona and Ken Dirks (parents of Mark Dirks), and Sharon and James Corl (parents of Tracy C. Dirks).

Beyond providing preschool education, Weaving Hope also offers opportunities for Rwandan women to earn a steady living and escape gender-based violence, inequality, and discrimination. These authentic, handmade African baskets arrive directly from a women’s cooperative in the village of Gitarama. Proceeds create meaningful jobs that provide for their families, moving them from crisis and poverty to stability and economic self-sufficiency.

“We are so incredibly pleased to have completed not just one, but two schools in Rwanda through the Weaving Hope charity,” said Maxine Burton, founder and president of burton + BURTON. “The time and dedication of both companies have more than paid off, and we could not be happier with the results. As a former teacher, providing a learning opportunity for children who might not have had access to any education means a lot to me. Now, with the second preschool offering an environment for teachers to come and train, is more than anyone could have asked for. The entire Weaving Hope charity has been remarkable and to now dedicate the second preschool in part to Bob and I’s late parents is incredibly uplifting.”