{"id":28377,"date":"2011-09-30T14:38:36","date_gmt":"2011-09-30T18:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=28377"},"modified":"2019-06-07T10:49:06","modified_gmt":"2019-06-07T14:49:06","slug":"metropolitan-safari-brings-rwandan-women-to-ucf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/metropolitan-safari-brings-rwandan-women-to-ucf\/","title":{"rendered":"Metropolitan Safari Brings Rwandan Women to UCF"},"content":{"rendered":"
Two students from Rwanda\u2019s Akilah Institute for Women recently visited the Rosen College of Hospitality Management.\u00a0 Noella Abijuru, 26, and Allen Kazarwa, 20, took part in Akilah\u2019s \u201cMetropolitan Safari,\u201d a tour that encompasses 14 cities in 12 weeks for the purposes of meeting supporters and sharing personal experiences.\u00a0 \u00a0Both young ladies were impacted by the 1994 Rwandan genocide that resulted in the murder of an estimated 1 million people in 100 days.<\/p>\n
\u201cAkilah\u201d means \u201cwisdom\u201d in Swahili and the Institute empowers young women in East Africa to transform their lives by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become leaders and entrepreneurs.\u00a0 The young women of the Akilah Institute are pursuing degrees in hospitality management, as it is the fastest growing sector of the Rwandan economy.<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Dearborn Davis, co-founder and CEO of the Akilah Institute, hoped that her education experience could turn these survivors into community leaders and role models for the next generation.\u00a0 \u201cWhen you teach a woman, you empower a nation,\u201d said Davis.\u00a0 By 2020, Akilah plans to graduate 1,780 young women who are working and serving as leaders in their communities.<\/p>\n
The Rosen College of Hospitality Management became connected with the Akilah Institute through Dr. Kimberly Severt.\u00a0 When she learned of the school, she was inspired to immediately get involved with this valuable cause.\u00a0 She attended Akilah\u2019s annual fundraiser in Tampa and created an assignment that involved her students designing hospitality and guest service-themed webinars to donate to the young women attending the Akilah Institute.\u00a0 She explains, \u201cI hope that we realize how fortunate and blessed we are, and I hope that Allen and Noella\u2019s stories empower us to make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Severt helped coordinate the recent visit by Allen, Noella and Jen DiSimone, Development Associate with the Akilah Institute.\u00a0 The day included a tour of Rosen College, a meet and greet with students in Dr. Manuel Rivera\u2019s Event Management class, a tour of Disney\u2019s Contemporary Resort and an afternoon at Walt Disney World\u2019s<\/em> Magic Kingdom.<\/p>\n Dr. Rivera was honored to assign his students the task of event planning from a service angle. His students pitched fundraising event ideas to Allen and Noella including a technology drive, a women\u2019s empowerment weekend seminar, a fun run at Lake Eola, a book drive and a school supply drive.\u00a0 Allen thanked the students for their ideas and said, \u201cWe have very much to learn from you and we hope you have a bit to learn from us.\u201d<\/p>\n Noella shared with the class how she wakes up at 5 a.m. most mornings and walks 45 minutes to the bus, and then another 15 minutes from the bus to her school.\u00a0 After classes, she works in a restaurant until late at night, often getting only three hours of sleep. She then told the class, \u201cToday, I\u2019ve come to learn many things to take back to school.\u00a0 I am committed to studying and finishing school because life is so hard.\u00a0 We would like for you to give us advice to improve our skills.\u201d<\/p>\n After the presentations, Dr. Rivera\u2019s students treated Noella, Allen and Jen to a reception in the Hall of Fame lobby where they were able to interact one-on-one.\u00a0 Allen shared about the experience, \u201cYour students have so much heart.\u00a0 I am deeply touched.\u201d<\/p>\n After enjoying a traditional American lunch of chicken fingers and hamburgers at T.G.I. Friday\u2019s, the guests journeyed to Disney and received a behind-the-scenes tour of Disney\u2019s Contemporary Resort.\u00a0 The visit focused on the convention and conference industry and included guest rooms, ballrooms, The Wave Restaurant and the California Grill.\u00a0 The executive chef even provided Allen and Noella with their first taste of lobster.<\/p>\n Dr. Severt and Rosen College Coordinator of Academic Relations, Mr. Joshua Johnson, accompanied the Akilah Institute guests during the Disney portion of their visit.\u00a0 \u201cIt was such a joyful experience to see the excitement in the young ladies\u2019 eyes,\u201d shares Johnson.<\/p>\n Noella and Allen rode their first attractions including Pirates of Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion and It\u2019s A Small World.\u00a0 They additionally enjoyed a parade, the nighttime Wishes show and fireworks. No trip to Disney would be complete without personalized mouse ears \u2013 Allen and Noella chose the princess ones.<\/p>\n