Ambassador Gil Kuzo Rutazihana’s Books4Buddies global experience:

“Little things make big impacts in any children’s life. A book may seem to have little value for most of the people but as a young African boy, I know the value of a simple book. Books4buddies was one of the GREATEST CHANCES I had to work towards promoting literacy around my host community and now to the world, back home.

I shared how education was a fundamental part on making me the man I am today and how people have to remember that the base of a good life, is an excellent education. 

I also found in Books4buddies amazing young men who helped me integrate and understand more easily the differences between my culture and the American culture.

The most admirable qualities of American youth are never giving up on their dreams and hard work to get what they deserve. No matter how hard it looks like, how far they still have to go, they don’t give up, but find new and creative ways to achieve their dreams!

Those are the things I took and made part of my day to day life.”

Gil, recently accepted into med school, says re Books4buddies: “I think from last year, we should get more high schoolers involved in the program to see the world from a different perspective.”