Student Lene Bohlender has been in Ruanda for almost five months now. She is working at the Winners Mount Academy, where she supports students, teachers, and staff in the daily school routine. "I have been welcomed so warmly here, and I am grateful to be part of this school," she shared with us in a recent exchange.
The main focus of her work is supporting, mentoring, and educating the students. Education and cultural exchange are core values of the Japanese MinebeaMitsumi Group, and we are particularly proud to support her during her stay in Ruanda. After graduating from the Gymnasium am Romäusring in Villingen-Schwenningen last year, Lene decided to participate in a volunteer program through VIA e.V. in Africa, where she teaches French, music, and sports—the Association for International and Cultural Exchange sponsors this program.
However, students must partially finance and organize the costs of these volunteer programs. That's why Lene reached out to MinebeaMitsumi Technology Center Europe GmbH for support. The total cost of a volunteer service is around 12,500 euros per person. On average, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development covers three-quarters of this. The VIA team also provides guidance and support to the young people during their service in the host country. In addition, the association takes care of accommodation, meals, insurance, and travel expenses.
On Mondays and Fridays, all the students gather in the morning before school to dance and sing together. This is also where they receive important announcements and information. These moments, along with the beautiful images, were captured with Lene and her students.
We wish Lene continued success and a wonderful time, and we look forward to hearing more updates from Ruanda.
