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Twiga dukina’s latest video:

‘Education is the most powerful weapon
to change the world’ – Nelson Mandela

Our Vision

Twiga dukina believes that every child needs to learn through play and that every adult needs to understand that play is a basic right for children.

Twiga dukina

Twiga dukina is an educational consultancy enterprise based in Nyamasheke district, operating in other districts as well.

Gerjanne van Ravenhorst, founder and managing director of Twiga dukina, has been working since September 2016 in Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Nyamasheke district. In January 2020 she established Twiga dukina. In 2022 she opened Play Center & Community Library (Ikigo cy’imikino n’Isomero rusange) Twiga dukina.

'Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world’, Nelson Mandela said. In addition to that: through qualitative play-based education, human capital development will be built. Developed people are able to change their life, the lives in their family, in the community, the country and the world.

Nyamasheke district is one of the poorest districts of Rwanda. To close the gap between the rich and the poor it is important to focus on human capital development of the very poor as well. This starts with the young children in ECD, ECE and primary schools, because play-based education increases the likelihood of success in education and in life. The brain develops holistically, which will help break the cycle of poverty.

Twiga dukina has a collaboration letter from Nyamasheke district and an approved action plan for the current year.

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The caterpillar and the butterfly

Twiga dukina’s logo presents a caterpillar and a butterfly.

The butterfly has always been Gerjanne’s favourite animal. A butterfly represents faith, hope, growth, promise, creation and a new beginning.

Butterflies are colourful, playful and authentic. They are all different and beautiful creations.

A little caterpillar has the potential to grow and evolve into a beautiful butterfly. This is a natural process which can’t be forced. We need to wait for its own timing of transformation. This requires patience and trust.

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Why play is important

Through play children develop many different competencies without realizing it: analytical thinking, creativity, innovation, problem solving, cooperation, language skills, gross and fine motor skills, emergent literacy and numeracy, self-confidence, perseverance, persistence, executive functions, amongst others. This helps children to become successful in their later lives. They will become lifelong learners.

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