New IC Philanthropy Foundation (ICPF) collaboration in Rwanda We would like to share exciting news about the new IC Philanthropy programme in Rwanda: Tennis Rwanda Children's Foundation (TRCF). It started in December, 2022 with 60 children. There are now more than 600 in the programme. By the end of this year there will be over 1,000! The programme creates opportunities for children in low-income government housing communities and refugee camps to learn the basics of the game: athletic skills... and the precious life-skills it teaches. The programme was started by Phil Cox, a member of IC Canada and IC USA. He is on the Philanthropy Board with each of those IC's. He brought together individual, corporate and institutional partners to provide< financial and material support and develop infrastructure to make the TRCF program robust and sustainable. Joseline Umulisa is the Co-Founder and Head Coach of TRCF. She has been Women's Open Singles Tennis Champion in Rwanda for the past 7 years and, represented Rwanda in Fed Cup competition. She is a survivor of the 1994 Genocide, where her parents and 7 siblings were murdered when she was 8 years old. Joseline is responsible for recruiting coaches for the program, training them with assistance from several top-level professional coaches who travel with Phil from North America and Europe to Rwanda. They will visit Rwanda at least three times each year, adding more Rwandan coaches each time to ensure the increasing number of children in the TRCF program are properly trained and supported. "Whether the children pursue tennis as a career or want to be an accountant, doctor, teacher, business entrepreneur, etc, we want them to develop skills and values that become cornerstones of their character. Many of the children are orphans and refugees, so the absence of a parent, guardian or mentor in their lives creates a void. We want to contribute in a small way to provide important guidance and inspiration to their lives". Phil Cox To find out more www.trcfic.org
