81. Escaping the Rwandan Genocide to Bring Hope + Healing Worldwide - Alphonsine Anderson and Devin Hood

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Feb 22

Written By Julie Confer

Alphonsine Anderson / Rising Above the Storms / We Are For Good Podcast

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Overview

Meet Alphonsine. She may be the world's bravest sister. During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, her parents and two siblings were killed in the conflict leaving her to raise three younger siblings under the age of 10. It's a harrowing story of survival, chasing educational dreams and eventually landing her dream job at Cisco. Today, she's talking about paying her good fortune forward through a new nonprofit benefiting Rwandan children, and she's even brought a board member into the discussion. Love and hope reign supreme in this chat.

Today’s Guests

Alphonsine Anderson, Founder, Rising Above the Storms

Devin Hood, Board Member, Rising Above the Storms

“My goal is for these children to know that they are loved and they can be anybody. If they work hard, try things, and hang in there, they can be whoever they want to be. It changed my life to think and feel that way. I need them to know I am proud of them and who they have become.”

— Alphonsine Anders, Founder, Rising Above the Storms

Episode Highlights

Alphonsine’s Story (5:00)
Alphonsine’s resilience and how she rose above the storm (9:00)
Alphonsine’s education and journey to the United States (14:00)
“Education is a top priority for me because of what it has done for me.” (15:50)
The founding story and mission of Rising Above the Storms (17:30)
The story behind the name of Rising Above the Storms (20:30)
Devin’s connection to the mission and how she became involved (22:00)
Rising Above the Storm’s digital strategy and what Devin is bringing to the organization (27:00)
Start with your audience. Hone in on how to market to them (29:00)
How COVID pushed them to move into the digital space to create a virtual fundraising event (30:00)
An overview of the programs within Rising Above the Storms and how they change lives through a message of hope, advocacy for orphans, and empowerment through education (33:00)
Impactful stories of philanthropy in Alphonsine and Devin’s lives (40:00)
Alphonsine’s One Good Thing: You don’t have to change the world. You don’t have to change a town. Have an impact on 1 person.
Devin’s One Good Thing: Networking is the single most important thing you can do to get knowledge and awareness out there. Be vulnerable and network.

Powerful Quotes:

“Hollywood doesn’t do it justice. It is a segway for a lot of people to know and understand what happened in Rwanda, but I don’t think anything could describe what happened.” -Alphonsine

“What my eyes have seen, what I have been through, I can’t imagine any movie would be able to describe it.” -Alphonsine

“I didn’t even think there was a world existing outside of what I was going through. I thought it was the end of the world. I never want people to go through things like that.” -Alphonsine

“Everything that happened, the hate, the discrimination, happened for a long time. What you saw in 1994 was the tragic end of something that had been happening deep inside peoples’ minds and actions.” -Alphonsine

“My childhood was rushed. I grew up in a hurry.” -Alphonsine

“My three younger siblings are my light. They really made life worth living. I say that they are my first rays of sunlight in this life. Moving forward, I lived life for them. They are my greatest gift in this life.” -Alphonsine

“The first time I was told I was smart was in the US in grad school.” -Alphonsine

“The most memorable experience of my life was when I bought new clothes for my siblings when I had my first salary.” -Alphonsine

“Education is a top priority for me because of what it has done for me.” -Alphonsine

“At any given time, I was supporting 5 kids. That is where Rising Above the Storms really began.” -Alphonsine

“I could see myself bringing more people along who are willing to help. I thought if I could change 5 lives, with other people we could change more lives.” -Alphonsine

“Not only is Alphonsine like this for her siblings and children in Rwanda, but as a human being. There is never a moment that Alphonsine isn’t humbled by all the work people give to the organization. She’s always filled with kindness and kind words.” -Devin

“Our digital strategy is scrappy and resourceful.” -Devin

“We focus on at risk children, whatever umbrella they fall under. They could be orphans, street kids, and other categories.” -Alphonsine

“If you had a strategy or playbook pre-pandemic, that is all out the window.” -Becky

“My goal is for these children to know that they are loved and they can be anybody. If they work hard, try things, and hang in there, they can be whoever they want to be. It changed my life to think and feel that way. I need them to know I am proud of them and who they have become.” -Alphonsine