The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - An 18-year-old whose village in Rwanda was destroyed in the country's civil war is now living at a suburban private high school for girls.

It is a dramatic change in lifestyles for Yvette Ingabire, who at one point hid for several months in a forest during the war.

"I lost more family members than you can imagine," she said through Jennifer Lane, the French teacher who was Ms. Ingabire's translator for her first couple of months at the Andrews School.

In a 100-day massacre in 1994, militants from the majority Hutu ethnic group killed more than 500,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The genocide ended when Tutsi rebels captured Kigali, the capital and formed a government of national unity.

Ms. Ingabire, her parents, two brothers and 10 other people were the only survivors in her village of Nyamirambo after the war, school officials said. Ms. Ingabire will not discuss her family's ethnicity.

She arrived at Andrews in September with one suitcase. The school in Willoughby costs $26,000 a year and features a full equestrian program with stables and event arenas.

Ray Nelson, head of the school, said her enrollment was arranged by Matondo Filawo, a Chicago engineer who has made it his mission to place African students in private U.S. schools.

Mr. Filawo called Mr. Nelson on Ms. Ingabire's behalf, stressing the devastation that has befallen Rwanda's education system.

The Andrews School agreed to waive its annual fee for tuition, room and board, and provided her school uniform at no cost. Sheila Cawley, Andrews' development director, designed holiday cards telling the girl's story and soliciting donations to raise money for personal items and field trips.

Ms. Ingabire said she is homesick but could not pass up the opportunity to study at Andrews. "I didn't know when I'd get another chance," she said.

At first, teachers worried that she was depressed because she kept to herself and did not want to talk with the school counselor, Ms. Cawley said.

But now she has made friends, and sometimes joins classmates on weekend T.J. Maxx and Target shopping trips. Her English has improved during the school year.

At a recent Saturday morning brunch, she laughed with six other boarding students and talked about topics ranging from a new movie by rapper Eminem to the struggles of having to get out of bed for the 11:30 a.m. meal.

Classmates have been friendly, says Ms. Ingabire. In turn, teachers credit her with adding to the school's cultural mix. For example, during a lesson about an African food called fufu, a starchy patty made of pounded yams, Ingabire helped her classmates picture the dish, said teacher Gabe Costa.

Ms. Ingabire said she may work in a bank like her father. He lost his job when the bank closed. Or she might become a doctor. "I like to help people," she said.