Three Girls Go to School

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3 Girls in Rwanda
What if your mother, your daughter, your sister, your friend, or even you could not go to school?  Working with Rwanda has opened my eyes to the privileges we have to go to school.

 School Sign ETO Gitarama Nyanza

For 7 years, SolidWorks has worked with ETO Gitarama/Nyanza Technical School.  Going to school is a privilege.  Many students must live at school because villages are too far away.   ETO Gitarama is 90% boys, 10% girls. 

 Building a Wall

The DS Women’s Initiative, a group of talented women at the DS North American headquarters, began to think of ways to sponsor a girl to go to school for a year.

The DS Women’s Initiative group raised money and awareness through raffles.  The raffles were made up of paintings, jewelry, baskets, books, and other artisan crafts created and donated by DS employees.  The employee support was great and the results were greater. 

Claudine Nyiramana, Costasie Mujawimana and Monique Uwambajimana, three wonderful girls, can go to school for three years with tuition, housing and books included. Three young ladies, so full of promise and potential, study academic subjects, math and languages, design in SolidWorks, and work with brick, wood, and other natural materials.

 Mark presents Sponsorship letter

Last month, Mark Neil, VP and General Counsel SolidWorks, visited, Leonard Manirambona, the Director/Headmaster of ETO Gitarama.  Mark presented the girls with their sponsorship and a photo of the DS Women’s Initiative group.

 Mark at Desk at ETO Gitarama

Mark signed the school’s guest book at the visitor’s desk.  The students designed the desk and bookcase in SolidWorks and then built the furniture at their school’s wood shop. 

If We Three Girls Go To School

The DS Women’s Initiative group has become the mothers of three very special girls that can go to school and learn skills that can help their family, village and country.  Marie

Marie Planchard

Marie Planchard

Senior Director, Early Engagement, 3DEXPERIENCE Works at Dassault Systemes
Marie Planchard is an education and engineering advocate. As Senior Director of Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, she is responsible for global development of content and social outreach for the 3DEXPERIENCE Works products across all levels of learning including educational institutions, Fab Labs, and entrepreneurship.
Marie Planchard

@marieplanchard1