Alumni, Family and Friends
Describe yourself, your connection with GDS, and why you give back.
I am Gentille Dusenge, a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University. In May 2019, I organized and led the Global Days of Service project in the western province of Rwanda. As I was studying from Kiziba Refugee camp where my campus was located, I collaborated with Sylvain Nayituriki '16 '20MBA who is a course facilitator based in Kigali. We called the project “Giving Back to the Community”; we collaborated by contacting students, leaders, and course facilitators from both campuses. Our volunteers contributed food, sanitation materials, and money. In Kiziba, students and some course facilitators accompanied Sylvain and me to the elders' homes. We gave them collected foods, we repaired their broken houses, and we gave them some money to buy necessities.
As a refugee and a student in the Kiziba refugee camp, I think I have a big responsibility to give back to the community because I consider myself as the lucky one. In my community, many people did not get a get chance to pursue a higher education. Others live in very extreme living conditions - sick, lonely, hungry and without anyone to show them that they care. I wanted to give back to my community because I love them, and because this what I feel everyone should do once they get a chance.
Food for thought - describe the impact of this month's social issue in your community.
In Kiziba, we have 17,000 refugees from Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they all depend on a monthly assistance from UNHCR and WFP. However, this is not enough and some people with specific needs like elders, orphans, and people with chronic diseases are more vulnerable due to very tough living conditions.
Visiting them was something that made me happy because they realized that their younger generations think about them and they wish to take the community to the next level whenever possible. Seeing them smiling was so beautiful!
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As a part of Global Days of Service and International Women’s Day, SNHU On Campus highlighted a community partner doing amazing work. Learn about Missy's Closet - a Manchester thrift store going above & beyond to support survivors of domestic violence & emergency community needs. To learn more about ongoing efforts and community needs visit The Chandler Center Facebook page!
SNHU senior, Arielys Liriano. Arielys talks about why she chooses to #ServeWithSNHU, and what she wants people to understand about homelessness.
Celeste Molle, Shannon Joyce, and Caroline Carrozzini are members of Theta Phi Alpha. Theta Phi Alpha is new to the SNHU campus, but has already made an impact. Celeste, Shannon, and Caroline share what Theta Phi Alpha has done in the past to support local causes in their community, and what they plan to do this year to assist people experiencing homelessness.
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