Project Akilah Inc

I have had a wonderful experience working with the Akilah Institute. A friend of mine introduced me to this charity a few years ago as he knew one of the founders (Elizabeth Dearborn Davis) from high school. Right away I knew this was something I wanted to be involved with. Not only do I think it's extremely important to give young women across the globe, specifically in Africa, an education, but I also loved how I knew exactly where the funds from this charity were going and who was running it.

Last year I had the chance to meet two of the students who have benefited from Akilah. I think what amazed me most was their incredible strength. These girls grew up in genocide and now some of them are living next door to the people who murdered their families. The level of forgiveness is quite incredible, and made me truly realize how very special these young women are.

Lastly, Akilah focuses on teaching these young women about tourism, as this is the fastest growing sector in Rwanda. This education is one of the major tools that allows them to finally get out of poverty.

I can't say enough good things about this charity and look forward to working with it in the future.

Supporting Akilah Institute for Women has been a wonderful experience. I was introduced to this team because of my experience in events that empower women. Akilah Institute made its way to my home in NYC for their U.S. tour. I was very inspired by the story of these young Rwandan women and the work of Elizabeth Dearborn Davis. When I began participating in their NYC event, I was immediately impressed by the persistence, motivation, and organization of the Akilah team. The New York City event went great. It was inspiring meet Elizabeth Dearborn Davis and two of the Akilah Institute students, Gisele and Anita. It brought tears to the eyes to learn about Gisele and Anita's journey to becoming leaders in their community. It was a festive evening with much to celebrate and I thank Akilah Institute for being a model of empowerment for me. I love that the Akilah team has kept in touch. The newsletters on the progress of their students and highlights of the year has been an awesome reminder of things we should think of that are happening in different parts of the world, the impact of education, and the change our support can bring to the world.

When I heard Elizabeth Davis speak about Rwanda at a small event in St. Petersburg, Florida, I was so impressed by her passion and commitment that I not only followed her as she established her vision of the best way to empower Rwandan women through education, but I was inspired to go to Rwanda to visit the proposed campus.

I continue to be impressed by the progress that Akilah has made not only in the expected curriculum but more importantly is the emphasis on leadership training and value of character development.

I help by doing Graphic Design work for Project Akilah. I am a Graphic Designer by trade, but the volunteer work that I do for Akilah actually gives back to me - it makes my work feel worthwhile, as I can see and feel how my contribution adds to an organization that is helping to educate and empower so many young women. I have had the splendid opportunity to meet two of the young women attending the Akilah Institute for Women, and their spirit, strength, hope and determination is such a gift - has been such an inspiration to me.

In the fall 2008 I met the founders of Akilah, Elizabeth and David, in Rwanda as our group began the design for their new campus. Their passion to make a difference in the lives of young Rwandan women is profound, and it is clear that they have inspired all the volunteers, teachers, board members and donors that they have worked with in the past three years.

Although, the organization is young they have already introduced a second class to the curriculum at the Institute and many of their students have secured jobs. This past fall I had the opportunity to meet two students during their visit to the US and listening to their personal stories of growth had assured me that The Akilah Institute is making a difference already and will continue to have an impact for the women of Rwanda for a long time to come.

I worked in the Tampa, Florida Akilah office as the Development Intern for the Fall of 2010. I worked with the Development Associate to plan and execute a nationwide fundraising tour spanning seven cities. With a matching donation, this "Metropolitan Safari" raised almost half a million dollars! The mission of Akilah is honorable and genuine as are the teachers, staff, executives, and co-founders behind the organization. I know I was helping to make a difference in the lives of young Rwandan women. I truly enjoyed my time at Akilah and I will be a supporter and donor for life.

After traveling to Rwanda in 2009, and witnessing firsthand the crucial role women play in the growth of this developing country, I was inspired to find an opportunity to work with an organization focused on improving the lives of Rwandan women through access to education and job skills. My experience with Akilah has been truly wonderful. After identifying a growing job sector (hospitality), Elizabeth and her team focused their efforts on providing girls with specific skills they can use to support themselves and their families, and contribute to one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. I served on a committee to host a fundraiser in New York City, which was part of the Metropolitan Safari tour they organized across the US this fall. Even though the Akilah team was not based here, they were extremely organized and communicated their goals to our committee effectively. The Akilah students who attended the event spoke eloquently about their experiences and were truly inspirational in their stories.

Akilah Institute is one of the most forward thinking vocational training schools for young women in Africa today. Their focus is for each young woman who graduates from Akilah to be eminently employable, thus raising the living standards of the graduates and their families and communities. Akilah also provides these young women with the tools to cope with emotional issues, as many were orphans from the Rwandan genocide, using meditation techniques and an openly expressive and nurturing environment. I have been delighted to participate in the creation and the support of Akilah Institute, as I feel that their educational and business model is sound and will produce results that are much needed.

Akilah Project is one of the most progressive non-profit organizations I have been blessed to be a part of in my college career. The drive of the Akilah organizers is much to be admired, and they consistently display true passion in all their fund-raising and awareness endeavors. Working along side this wonderful organization has given me the experience needed to one day create my own non-profit for where I am from, Nigeria. I still have a lot to learn, but I recognize that working with the Akilah women, has been the best place to start.

Akilah holds a very special place in the hearts of our family. We visited Akilah in Kigali and became good friends with one of its founders, Elizabeth Davis who is an inspiration. Often non-profits take on the personalities of their leaders and that is true in many ways of Akilah. To meet Elizabeth Davis is to be caught up in a river of passion over the empowerment of women in a country uniquely dependent on the future success of its women. The realization that something monumental is happening at Akilah not just for its students but for the country permeates the zealous dedication of everyone who works there as well as the students who are privileged to attend Akilah. This is not just an African school that needs funds. This is a game changing institution for an entire generation of women and a country desperate for newly trained leaders and employees.

Our daughters attend a very privileged all-girls school outside of Philadelphia. Elizabeth has come to speak to the entire student body on several occasions, most recently with two Akilah students as part of the school's Metropolitan Safari. Closeness in age is all that young women need to develop an instant bond, but the disparity in life experience takes that bond to a different level that creates a broader perspective of the circumstances of women around the world. Thanks to those visits, a club has been formed at our daughters' school that is currently looking to help create Western internship opportunities for Akilah girls as well as other cross curricular projects that will further enhance the bonds between the two student bodies. So the ripples of Akilah are immense.

The Akilah Institute has proven to be a powerful resource for empowering young women who without this opportunity may never have the chance to see their dreams come true or to continue to have everlasting hope. I have been involved with The Akilah Institute for just over a year. Helping these women and contributing to their education has completely changed my life. I know that if you start to become involved it will change yours too!

I was able to organize a "lunch & learn" get-together for the women in my church and a local women's interfaith group, Bridge Builders. The young woman who founded the Akilah Institute and her two students were so impressive - intelligent, poised, articulate about the mission and so friendly. We were honored to be a host group and have the privilege of meeting these outstanding young women, who are literally changing the world for other women in a country that is still recovering from many wounds and scars. The Akilah Institute is doing work many of us wish we could do in person. Wonderful organization!

I was able to use what little talent I have to fund raise for Akilah. On Feb 9th, 2011, the Tampa Improv provided a wonderful venue where I, and fellow comedians, could tell jokes for an hour and a half. We kept the ticket price low ($10) in the hopes of gaining a bigger audience. The bigger the audience, the more ears that get to hear about this great charity. We were able to raise a little over a grand, but the awareness factor of the show may bring in greater returns for Akilah. The Akilah staff was very helpful and didn't have any directives - they just let us do our thing.

I had an absolutely wonderful experience working with Project Akilah. Being referred to the organization by a friend I had done charity work with in the past, I knew it would be an extremely fulfilling endeavor! However, I was not prepared to be as moved as I was at the event. Upon hearing the girls speak, and hearing their stories, and witnessing their dedication to bettering themselves and their country -- I was literally moved to tears!

It is a fabulous project - as women should feel empowered/be given opportunities everywhere -and I plan to help out Akilah in the future!

I volunteered with an Akilhah fundraiser in Washington, DC. Not only is the Akilah staff motivated, but genuinely inversted in their work in Rwanda. It is inspiring to watch their work being built from scratch, and the direct impact they have had on the women they teach.

We were able to hear the stories of two women who graduated from the institute, and how their lives have been positively impacted from this opportunity. The fact that the NGO operates with such a small overhead and staff, and is still able to fulfill thier vision, speaks to the character, passion, and integrity of this group of women.

The Akilah Institute, through the hard work, dedication and commitment of many and leadership of Elizabeth Dearborn Davis, is transforming lives of women not only in Rwanda but throughout the globe. Although the direct impact may be felt by the young women who complete the program in Rwanda, these young women touch the lives of all those they meet. The model that Elizabeth and the team have created and operationalized can be leveraged throughout the world. The program's focus on education, mentoring, leadership and self esteem will continue to drive the personal successes and economic growth in the region. I had the great pleasure and honor of meeting Elizabeth and several members of her team through one of her professors at Vanderbilt. Discovering that she was from Tampa added to the special feeling of contributing through our community. I have since engaged several other colleagues to commit to giving and helping Akilah grow. I am thrilled to help the team with the 2011 Campaign and look forward to another exciting year.
Dr. Mary Kay Vona

"Working in the field of international development, one of the greatest challenges is instituting projects that are not only viable in the short-term, but sustainable in the long-term. Akilah has managed to create a trajectory that accounts for the triple bottom line of environmental, social as well as financial sustainability, grown from and managed in a distinctly Rwandan context. Akilah's holistic approach on cultivating leaders and managers far surpasses most models which tend to focus on business development or access to finance alone. They are preparing a class of economic and social drivers, instead of mere aid-recipients. They are investing in long-term models for sustainable resource management and revenue-generation, instead of relying on extended donor support.

Tourism and hospitality are quickly emerging as core sectors in emerging economies around the globe, with a pronounced presence in oil-rich, post-conflict countries. Positive, localized and strategic options for developing these sectors in an equitable way will become critical in the next few years. The Akilah Institute for Women is well ahead of the curve in anticipating this momentum and has a long road of opportunity ahead."

I was curious to find a nonprofit based in Tampa, Florida that met women needs at a grassroots level that were hiring and this is how I met "Akilah"...which means wisdom in Swahili and embodies the gift that the founding family envisioned. I was impressed that they followed their dreams and fears to help others from a "different" world. That young spirit of urgency and passion moves me. the young organization has an impressive website, vivid pictures and plans for the future boarding school, teaming with Kigali's education and political figures. Videos of the students being accepted and the CEO speaking Kinyarwanda (impressive). Overall, they found a niche to teach women practical skills of a rapid economic sector, tourism, to empower women financially. Which is brilliant!


As a volunteer in Tampa, I tried to link the Akilah to STAND & African students at University of South Florida in Tampa to create awareness, collaboration and volunteerism...
We've assisted in fund raising event (which was a huge success, well managed), collecting books for a new library, Akilah students met and spoke with USF students, documentary showing about Rwanda's genocide and potential partnership with USF Holocaust and a Genocide Center.

I've met the young founders and the Tampa family, who are quite modestly grandiose. I feel a true sense of sincerity and compassion. From the inclusion of important events to the simple hand written thank you cards in the mail.

The students I got to meet via video from website or in person are truly sweet, they made me feel warm. I knew that any little help I have given to Akilah was indirectly given to me, because I saw myself in the playful laughter of the young women and their hopeful eyes for a limitless future. That gift is what we all want, to know the sky is not even the limit!

Thank you Akilah for helping our sisters around the world.

God Bless you as you expand.

You ROCK!

I have a personal connection to Rwanda and a fondness for this country that went through one of the most brutal events in the history of humankind, the 1994 genocide. I literally "stumbled" upon The Akilah project and was awed by its mission and authentic commitment to improving the lives of young women by investing in them instead of providing hands out or further 'victimizing' them. I admire the vision of the founders and the tenacity of Akilah Team to ensure young women in Rwanda are in a position to build a better future for themselves and for their country. Akilah should stay focused on this mission. Too many projects in emerging economies and less developed countries expand once they do well and take on too much. The learning environment created by Akilah in Rwanda not only imparts education but, most importantly, teaches young women to be proud of what they accomplish and who they are. This is about dignity and self esteem, attributes that go a long way in promoting the rights of women. Another important achievement of Akilah is its capacity to bridge cultural gaps and bring the people of the US closer to the reality of Rwanda. I helped out during their recent "Urban Safari" across the US to raise money for student scholarships and was moved by the impact this project is having on helping American re-frame the post genocide narrative of Rwanda. it is important to let people know what is good that is coming out of this country now and what the young generation is doing to move on. I commend Akilah for its vision, focus and commitment to the young women of Rwanda.

I have been a donor from the beginning. It has been so exciting to see Akilah's growth from the beginning to where it is now. Akilah is a perfect example of what happens when people really listen to what is needed to help a community grow and improve. Instead of deciding what Rwanda needed, Akilah has listened, learned & asked questions. Through this process, Akilah realized that women's education & Rwanda's growing tourism industry would be a perfect match. Akilah is providing women with leadership & vocational skills that will enable them to enter the tourism industry & help it to grow. This is an exciting organization, with dedicated leadership, teachers & students.
The stories of the women affected by Akilah are inspiring. The government in Rwanda feels the same way as they have donated a former school & the surrounding property to Akilah to use as a school.
I am excited to see the goals that Akilah will achieve in the future.

My experience with Akilah has been amazing. I find all the young women who make Akilah happen to be genuinely and pasionately connected to their work. After meeting some students, you can see why. Akilah has found some amazing gems of the earth and is polishing them, preparing them to make a new life for their own people. The impacts being made in the women's lives are profound. Each young lady receives her training on a full scholarship, something offered no where else.
I also know that Akilah's operations are as cost-efficient as possible. Their events are primarily volunteer-staffed and have even embarked upon soliciting library donations to keep the cost of books down. They have gone above and beyond in acquiring grants and workers for the infastructure.
These efforts are solely so that donations go directly to students' scholarships, and less to overhead. I am impressed by everything Akilah is doing and am proud to volunteer for them.

I am so thankful I had the opportunity of being involved in this organization. When I saw the first-hand impact of what is being done for young women in Rwanda after meeting two Akilah students, I have never felt so proud of being a part of something. Akilah empowers some of the most resilient and extraordinary women I have ever met by giving them the opportunity to change their lives. These women are the best hope for Rwanda's future. They are an inspiration and a source of light in a country struck by one of the worst humanitarian disasters in history. In my opinion, Akilah's vision is an example to young women all around the world.

I visited the Akilah Institute for Women in Kigali Rwanda in January 2011 and saw first hand the impact their school has had on the lives of the Akilah students I met. Akilah transforms the lives of these young women who attend by providing practical skills that can greatly increase their income. Akilah teaches them leadership, entrepreneurship, public speaking, self-confidence and hospitality skills in a two or three year educational program to women 18-25 in Rwanda. They are a wonderful organization.

I visited the Akilah school in Rwanda this summer to give a volunteer lesson with my boyfriend and his friend on finance and starting a business. The school was amazing and the best part was the inspiring and bright-eyed young women all following and achieving their dreams thanks to Akilah!

This organization provides so much joy and allows these students to laugh and learn together in a community where they can share and challenge themselves. Meeting Gisele and Anita in Tampa was a testament to the strength of Akilah. Their smiles and stories tell of how dramatically different their lives have been since attending the Akilah Institute and their interpersonal skills are equally impressive. Akilah has perfected the non-profit formula; everything this organization does contributes to the success of it’s students. They are mindful of long-term goals and work towards sustaining their organization so that they may continue to change the lives of young women in Rwanda. Supporting Akilah is not a charitable donation, it is an investment in the future.

I recently helped coordinate a fundraiser for Akilah in New York City. What I like most is that it's an organization built by young passionate people. Every staff member I worked with was energetic, sincere and so obviously in love with what they do. It's small but mighty and I see so much potential. There is so much love behind Akilah.

The Akilah Institute is transforming the lives of young women in Rwanda, giving them tangible skills relevant to the Rwandan economy. Thanks to Akilah, these women have the chance to lift themselves out of poverty and find meaningful employment in the hospitality industry, Rwanda's fastest growing industry. It has been a blessing and pleasure to volunteer for this organization.