2011 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Rwanda Women In Action (RWIA) established a cooperative daycare program, Refugee Women Transitional Support, funded by a grant from The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio. Children’s Hunger Alliance provided a certification course instructing the participants in nutrition, first aid, and childcare. Five women became certified childcare providers.

• RWIA continued its partnership with the Assistance League of Metro Columbus, helping school age refugee children be part of their Operation School Bell and Kid's Enrichment programs.

• RWIA purchased winter clothing and household items for refugees by fundraising through The Columbus Foundation's The Big Give; these funds also supported existing programs.

2012 GOALS

• RWIA will continue the pilot childcare cooperative established in 2011 through a pilot program, Refugee Women Transitional Support, with support from The Women's Fund of Central Ohio. RWIA will continue to support the 2011 certified childcare providers and partner with local agencies to extend their childcare education, while training an additional group of six refugee women.

• RWIA will raise awareness of domestic violence in the community by forming a partnership with IMPACT Safety. Together, we will initiate dialogue and small workshops to educate refugee women about emotional and physical safety.

• RWIA will offer individual tutoring for refugee women to increase English reading, language comprehension, and basic math skills.

In 1994, more than 800,000 people were murdered in Rwanda in just 100 days. No one was spared the terror and violence of those days. Two survivors of that genocide, Norah Bagirinka and Tatiana Adams founded Rwanda Women in Action (RWIA) in 2007, after they had separately resettled in Columbus, OH.

Born out of the needs of other refugees from Rwanda, Burundi, and the Republic of Congo, Norah and Tatiana established RWIA to help these women, men, and children navigate the labyrinth of social services, establish a strong independent base, and thrive in their newly adopted country. Norah and Tatiana’s personal refugee experiences coupled with their ability to speak English and several African languages, make them a vital resource for translation and communication for the more than 30 refugee families that live in the Northland area of Columbus.

Refugees are guaranteed 90 days of assistance upon arrival. RWIA seeks to fill the gaps left by this limited support by offering programs at no charge to equip these refugees with necessary knowledge and skills to survive in this country. Currently an all volunteer organization, Norah and Tatiana, along with volunteers, provide instruction, transportation, and assistance.

Since 2007, I have worked with Tatiana Adams to assist African women and their families as they resettle in Columbus, OH. The idea to form RWIA came from our personal experiences attempting to assimilate in America, learning a new way of living, and our ability to speak multiple African languages. We understand the problems inherent in the refugee experience and are able to guide them through everyday living experiences. Our organization grew out of refugee's needs and their dependence on us at all hours of the day and night. In the past two years, we formed a board, attained 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service, and received grants from Columbus International Program (Schildhouse Founders Fund) and The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio. Additionally, we were able to form partnerships with the Assistance League of Metro Columbus and Children's Hunger Alliance. The needs of our organization are great, and we recognize these steps are only the beginning.

RWIA began by putting on programs for African women from central Ohio to tell their stories of survival, sing, dance, and sell African crafts to provide scholarships for young women in Rwanda. As our founders, Norah Bagirinka and Tatiana Adams, spent increasing time assisting refugees in locally, RWIA focused its efforts in central Ohio. In 2011, RWIA was awarded a grant  from The Women's Fund of Central Ohio to establish a cooperative daycare program. The mission of the program is to provide necessary free time for the participants so that they can improve their lives through English classes, learn new skills, and receive job training. Children's Hunger Alliance directed the training and inspections for the refugee women to become certified childcare providers. We also partnered with the Assistance League of Metro Columbus in providing necessary supplies for the program. In 2012, the Women's Fund awarded a grant to continue and expand the program.

	2011	2010	2009
Total Direct Support	$29,288	$732	-
Direct Support Foundations	$17,000	-	-
Direct Support Corporations	-	-	-
Direct Support Individuals	$7,880	$232	-
Direct Support Unspecified	$4,408	$500	-
Government	-	-	-
Indirect Public Support	-	-	-
Earned Revenue	-	$2,286	-
Interest and Dividends	-	-	-
Membership Dues	-	-	-
Special Events	-	-	-
In-kind	-	-	-
Other	-	-	-
TOTAL REVENUE	$29,288	$3,018	-

	2011	2010	2009
Programs	$16,348	$2,353	-
Administration	$54	-	-
Fundraising	-	-	-
Payment to Affiliates	-	-	-
TOTAL EXPENSES	$16,402	$2,353	-

	2011	2010	2009
Total Assets	$12,886	-	-
Current Assets	$12,886	-	-
Total Liabilities	-	-	-
Current Liabilities	-	-	-
NET ASSETS	$12,886	-	-

TCF Staff:
	The 2011 revenue increase reflects a $17,000 grant from The Women's Fund of Central Ohio. RWIA was incorporated in 2009, so it does not have financial data prior to 2010.
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