Charge d 'Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda Anne Casper and the Mayor of Kicukiro District Jules Ndamage officially participated in a dedication of the newly renovated Masaka Secondary School in the Gasabo District of Kigali City, July 9, 2010.

Charge d' Affaires Casper said that it was a pleasure to return to Masaka Secondary School after she and other Americans participated in the construction of three classrooms last year. "In September of last year, just a few months after I arrived I had the pleasure, along with many of you and my colleagues, both Rwandans and Americans from the American Embassy, in spending a day here taking part in Umuganda. "Today, I am very happy to be back as we commemorate continued developments here at Masaka College," she said.

She added, "We are celebrating not only the physical additions of these buildings, but the continued success of the Rwandan people in developing their education system."
Other speakers at the event included Jules Ndamage, Mayor of Kicukiro District, and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa in Djibouti representative U.S. Navy Captain Scott Vasina.

In a joint project that was funded by the United States and completed by a Rwandan business, the school received significant upgrades and additions. The Rwandan Ministry of Education partnered with the U.S. Embassy of Rwanda and Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, Djibouti, to significantly upgrade and expand the suburban Kigali school with a refectory (dining hall/kitchen/store room), teacher's lounge, 12-stall latrine, a sports field, expanded class rooms and much-needed furniture. CJTF-HOA also donated tables, benches and chairs for the refectory.

The upgraded school improves classroom conditions and quality of life for the local students. United States Agency for International Development and Rwandan officials were involved in the decision to select this community for the school project. The school's parents' association commissioned an architect to design the facilities. The contract was awarded to TELE Developments, Kigali, Rwanda.

The secondary school was originally built by the U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program in 2003. The Masaka School is the first U.S. government-sponsored project completed in Rwanda since May 2003. The school is currently hosting students from a neighboring primary school due to lack of classrooms in that area.