At just 13 years old, Esther nearly dropped out of school.

Her daily walk wasn’t carrying books to class—it was carrying bricks from the local factory. She loved to learn and missed being in class, but her family was struggling. So, day after day, Esther carried stones and bricks to help put food on the table. Without a uniform, shoes, or supplies, she couldn’t show up to school even when she wanted to.

Slowly, her confidence began to crumble. Shame crept in. She started to believe her future was slipping away. Looking back now, she remembers it as a time when her dreams felt broken.

But Esther wasn’t forgotten. Her teachers noticed her absence, and her school community stepped in with an unexpected solution—one that began with a rabbit.

A Community Solution

Esther is a student at one of the a new, larger primary schools in Rubavu District. Even though schools like this one were built to ease overcrowding and bring education closer to children, many still struggle to stay in class. Some parents can’t afford the basics their children need, while others don’t see the value of education. It isn’t uncommon for children to end up at the brick factories instead of in the classroom—just like Esther.

When Wellspring began partnering with Esther’s school, one of the most pressing needs was to help parents, teachers, and school leaders work together to identify their own solutions to challenges like dropout rates. For children to succeed, families and communities need to be part of the answer.

The idea the school community came up with was simple but powerful: raise rabbits.

“Esther is a good student, and her absence was very noticeable,” Esther’s teacher shared. “I approached her parents, and together with the school staff and parents we decided to find a solution. That’s where the idea of the rabbit project came in—to support Esther and other students like her.”

Through this youth entrepreneurship project, students didn’t just receive an animal—they gained responsibility. They learned to feed, care for, and breed rabbits, then sell the offspring for income. The project wasn’t only about covering the cost of uniforms and supplies. It was about giving children practical skills, teaching them how to solve problems, and building their sense of dignity and capability.

Together, the community pooled resources to provide rabbits for children who were most at risk of dropping out and cutting their dreams short.

And because Esther’s teachers had seen her struggles, she was one of the first 100 students to receive a rabbit.

Rebuilding Confidence

For Esther, the impact was immediate. As her rabbits grew and she sold them at market, she was able to buy a uniform, shoes, and notebooks—all the things she had dreamed about for so long. But, the change went deeper than material things. For the first time, she could walk into school knowing she belonged, her head held high. Each day in class rebuilt the confidence that had nearly crumbled away.

Her attendance became steady. With encouragement from her teachers, she passed her exams and advanced to Primary 6. Most importantly, she began to dream again—dreams she had once set aside as impossible.

“I used to spend so much time working for money to help my parents that I lost hope of ever continuing my studies,” Esther remembered. “This rabbit project brought light back to my dreams.” Esther reflected.

But the transformation didn’t stop there.

With her new sense of confidence, Esther began helping others. As her rabbits grew, she gave four offspring to other students facing the same struggles she once carried. This act of generosity is creating a ripple effect of impact as these students can now earn income and return to school too. Esther also used the income from her own rabbits to buy school kits for four other students and even contributed bricks toward building her family’s home. What once felt like shame had been replaced with pride, purpose, and generosity.

“I was worried she was going to drop out because we had no way to support her education,” Esther’s mother recalled. “She supported herself and even helped us move from renting to building a home of our own. Esther’s rabbits have been a blessing to our family.”

When Communities Come Together Around A Child

Esther’s story is about more than rabbits. It’s about what happens when the entire circle around a child—teachers, parents, and the wider community—works together to help them succeed. Teachers are trained to notice when a child is struggling in class. Parents are equipped to see education as an investment worth supporting. Communities unite around creative, sustainable solutions.

And children like Esther move from broken dreams to renewed confidence, becoming not just learners, but leaders.

Today, Esther dreams of becoming a doctor. Her teachers see a girl who once felt hopeless now showing up with pride and determination. Her father sees a daughter who has helped build both their home and their future. And her community sees proof that when a child is supported, she can lift others alongside her.

“From my rabbits I solved not only the school problems. I want to be a doctor when I grow up and help my parents build an even bigger house,” Esther shared.

When a community comes together to support children’s education, they’re not just opening the classroom door—they’re building futures brick by brick.