CECILE GUPENDA
Cecile is HIV-positive, a widow and the sole provider for her four children. She thought her life had ended after the genocide. Since working at SAME SKY, she feels her dignity has been restored and that she has gained a skill she can use for the rest of her life. Not only had she been able to buy food for her children, but her work has been the cure to her depression. “Now I know I am not alone – I am not the only one who suffers.”
UPDATE 10/12/11: “Greetings to my best friends—to these friends I send God’s blessings everyday. I am happy to write to you and share how my family is doing, and to share what I have achieved since we last met. I have now put a water source in my home. My two children have been able to attend secondary school because now I can manage their tuition and other needs. I thank you so much for everything. And I thank you for your continued support.”
UPDATE 1/30/12: “I am happy to write to you to let you know how I am doing and what I have achieved. In everyday life I am doing fine. I thank God that everything is going well. I have been able to bring water and electricity to my house. (In Rwanda, after you buy a house you need to pay a fee for water and electricity to be delivered to your home.) Also, I have been able to pay the school fees for my two children to study in secondary school. I conclude by expressing my gratitude towards you.”