The Chinese Embassy in Rwanda on Friday made a donation to the Imbuto Foundation, a local organization that helps children from vulnerable backgrounds. 

One hundred children who have shown great academic promise will benefit from the donation through the foundation's scholarship program "Edified Generation." 

"The partnership between Imbuto Foundation and China has been going on for a few years, we are very happy to have this kind of cooperation," the foundation's director general Sandrine Umutoni told Xinhua. 

Hutu children sit at the Internally Displaced Persons Camp (IDPs) in Buleusa on July 16, 2016. /VCG Photo ‍

"The Chinese embassy can understand the mission of the government and the foundation, and importance of providing education for all is something we value a lot," said Umutoni. 

The scholarship program was initiated in 2003 with an objective to financially support students from economically vulnerable backgrounds in their pursuit of education. 

Beneficiaries of the program receive assistance to help pay for their living costs in boarding schools, school uniforms and other school supplies. Each year, through an annual holiday camp, the scholars learn about entrepreneurship, public speaking, leadership and other life skills.

Over the last 15 years, more than 7,000 scholarships have been awarded to secondary school boys and girls through the program. 

The Rwandan government pays attention to education and equipping people with skills when the country is not rich, evidencing that the country has visionary state leaders, and will have a bright future, said Rao Hongwei, the Chinese ambassador to Rwanda.  

A child displaced by recent violence at the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, holds a copy of the New Testament bible as she walks with her family in a street of Kimbumba, 5 km from the border with Rwanda, on June 13, 2014. /VCG Photo 

The embassy has long term cooperation with the Imbuto Foundation, which has made great efforts in helping children with vulnerable backgrounds, cultivating employment skills, said the envoy.

The donation was made under the China-Africa People-to-People Friendship Action, officially launched by the Chinese government in 2013, aiming at encouraging and supporting non-governmental organizations and women, teenagers and civil organizations from the two countries to develop exchanges and cooperation. 

Established in 2001, Imbuto Foundation, chaired by Rwandan First Lady Jeannette Kagame, has implemented diverse health, education, youth and economic empowering programs for different groups of Rwandan people. 

(Source: Xinhua)