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Frankie Alchanati

The Gift of Stories: Nurturing Readers in Rwanda

Updated: Jul 31

By: Frankie Alchanati


During my first trip to Rwanda last year, I encountered a remarkable non-governmental organization (NGO) called Parenting Child Care Rwanda (PCCR). Inspired by their mission to improve the lives of children and families through enhancing education and community development, I volunteered to create a new website and establish their social media presence to raise awareness about their initiatives. 


Our Collaboration


Author Frankie Alchanati, engaging with students in a home-based ECD center in the Ngoma District

My collaboration with PCCR not only strengthened my bond with the organization but also led to a recent return trip to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. There, I had the incredible opportunity to join PCCR on the ground and witness their impactful work firsthand. We visited their schools and home-based early childhood development centers (ECD) scattered across the Gasabo and Ngoma District villages. Despite being a small team of just 9 members, PCCR has achieved incredible things, including

building 7 schools and training over 60 mothers to run home-based ECD centers. 


Cultivating Readers


One initiative that particularly resonated with me was PCCR’s focus on cultivating a love of reading in young children. Books were my gateway to new worlds, vocabulary, and endless curiosity growing up. Understanding the transformative power of books, I was thrilled to contribute a collection of children's books donated by Science, Naturally, a STEM-focused imprint in Washington, DC, where I will soon publish my first children’s non-fiction book on architecture!


Students flipping through the books for the first time! Mutsindo ECD Center / December 2023

Upon seeing the box of books, I could feel the students’ curiosity sparking as their  faces broke into big smiles. Despite English being a new language for these Kinyarwanda-speaking students, their excitement as they flipped through the colorful pages was truly special. Recognizing the importance of English as a valuable resource, I carefully selected a diverse range of titles that catered to their interests and educational needs. 


Many questions waiting to be asked by many curious minds The Mutsindo ECD Center / December 2023

These books were designed to offer a fun and engaging introduction to English but also to enrich their understanding with STEM concepts, providing them with a holistic view of the world around them.

Among the curated titles were the Science Wide Open series, which celebrates women trailblazers in STEM; Cuddled and Carried, a heart-warming exploration of how animal mothers nurture their young in the wild; and This is the Sun, an enlightening book on how the Sun sustains life on Earth. Working alongside the PCCR staff, I assisted the students in sounding out the words and exploring the stories within each book! Their eagerness to learn shone brightly through every curious glance and eager questions. I loved every moment of being in the classroom with them.


Founding the U.S. Branch of PCCR


Driven by the desire to reach even more students, I established a US branch: Parenting Child Care Rwanda International (PCCRI). At PCCRI, our mission is to boost awareness, utilize US resources through grants and fundraising, and foster additional partnerships to enhance PCCR's impact on Rwanda’s communities. Together, we aim to secure the vital resources needed to empower these children to author their bright futures. It’s a journey I am deeply committed to, and I hope you’ll consider joining us in making a difference.



It was tough saying goodbye to the students, but the thought of all the new stories

we’ll soon share fills me with excitement!


One of the students intently reading "This Is the Sun" The Mutsindo ECD Center / December 2023

Reach out to discuss donating or collaborating:


 

About Frankie Alchanati


read aloud volunteer program reading literacy early childhood worthy cause crystal merrill

Los Angeles-raised triplet Frankie found her calling in architecture. Her architectural education in Philadelphia, coupled with global travel and volunteer experiences, solidified her commitment to socially impactful design.


Now in D.C., Frankie balances her design career with PCCRI (Parenting Child Care Rwanda International), the NGO she founded to help families living in Rwanda.


"Feel free to contact me if you are interested in getting involved with PCCRI!"

Email: frankiealchanati@gmail.com  /  Instagram: @parentingchildcare_rwanda


139 views8 comments

8 Comments


Lilly Lane
Lilly Lane
Oct 25

What a great idea! nurturing readers in Rwanda raised awareness of the importance of reading skills and their impact on liberating a nation. By establishing reading habits early in childhood, the children develop good thinking ability as well as creativity; we also create further opportunities for scholars to succeed in their academic endeavors, however, there is always nursing assignment help, so that you can balance between your passion and academic achievement.

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Oct 23

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Mike William
Mike William
Sep 30

That's amazing! It’s incredible how you took the initiative to support such a meaningful cause. Parenting Child Care Rwanda (PCCR) sounds like they’re making a real impact on the community, and your efforts in building a website and establishing a social media presence must have made a big difference for them. What was it like working with them? I’d love to know more about the specific initiatives they focus on and how they've grown since you started helping out! level devil

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Ellie
Ellie
Oct 08
Replying to

Hi Mike, we're glad to hear you were inspired and enjoyed learning about the great efforts in this collaboration. For future questions about their initiatives and impact, we recommend reaching out to Frankie Alchanati, the author of the post and facilitator of the donation, at the email address listed in the post: frankiealchanati@gmail.com. Hope you get to hear more about it! Thanks for reading!

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Ariel wilson
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Sep 16

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