Jasmine Nicole Jones, an eighth-grader at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C. is building schools in East Africa. She is the first recipient of National Development Institute’s Kristi LaRose Development Award. Jasmine is the founder, and director of her own nonprofit organization, CityLight Daughters of Ruth. She is raising money to build a primary school in Maseruka, Uganda. With funds she has raised, they have completed construction of the walls up to the ring beam level and are preparing to put on the roof.
Jasmine began this project after she visited Maseruka on a mission trip and saw the children having class in a field under a tarp with the blackboard nailed to a tree. When she returned to the United States she decided something had to be done.
Working with family and friends, she coordinated with CityLight President, Gladys Grimaud, East African Bishop Charles Mpagi of the Ecumenical Church and the school’s headmistress, Jaqueline Katashabe to draw up plans and start construction.
Jasmine and the CityLight Daughters of Ruth have raised money to provide books and school supplies annually for over 1,500 students in 10 Christian schools in East Africa.
In Soroti, Uganda she is supporting the CityLight Christian School. Jasmine and the CityLight Daughters of Ruth are in the final stages of raising money to complete the construction of a new classroom building.
The school’s headmaster, David Eyoma, said, “Jasmine is an inspiration to all of us. We love her. She is providing an opportunity for girls in East Africa.”
“We are in the last stages of construction with only the roof, windows, and doors to be completed”, Eyoma added.
The school has 250 children and all of the girls are members of CityLight Daughters of Ruth. The students want to come to America and visit Jasmine’s school, Heathwood Hall.
Five couples have named their newborn baby girls, Jasmine, in her honor. In villages across Uganda and Kenya, schools have started chapters of CityLight Daughters of Ruth with the hope that their girls will grow up to be like Jasmine.
Jasmine is the daughter of Bishop Redfern II and Rev. Luella Redfern of Columbia, SC
The Kristi LaRose Development Award is issued to young people who better their world by raising monies for charitable causes. Kristi LaRose is married to her husband Jimmy and is the co-founder of National Development Institute (NDI). National Development Institute, established in 1990, is a 501(c)3 public benefit charity that insures donors, granting organizations and corporations safeguard their mission by building capacity within nonprofits committed to human welfare, education, healthcare, the arts, & environment.
