Rebuilding a hopeful future for Rwandan orphans

By Anne Heyman, Founder of Agahozo-Shalom  It is October again, and that means the end of another school year at Agahozo-Shalom. As usual at this time of year the management team from New York meets with the management of the Village to review the past year, examine where we are and look at what needs to happen for us...

Anne Heyman, Founder of ASYV, wrote this article about a wonderful day during a recent trip to the village.  ------- Once again I find myself waking up at the crack of dawn – literally – and I lie in bed listening to the wind in the banana trees which sounds like rain but not really, because here in...

This year, the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village welcomed in a third class of 125 students, bringing the total to 375. Last June, the A.S.Y.V.'s football field was completed; the ribbon-cutting was performed by Rwanda's minister of sports and culture, and attended by various government officials as well as the Rwandan National...

In the rolling hills of Rwanda, Agahozo-Shalom is preparing for the arrival of 128 new students next week! With the beginning of our third year just days away, the number of students living at Agahozo-Shalom will be 378, with nearly 100 staff members teaching, mentoring, supporting and guiding helping the students to heal...

The students at Agahozo-Shalom returned to the village in mid-August to start their third and final semester of the year. So much has happened in the past month! With the help and generosity of a group of students from Bet Elazraki High School in Israel, Agahozo-Shalom now has a beautiful new bike shed, and several bikes...

The 250 students at Agahozo-Shalom are more than half way through the academic year. The past few months have been filled with exciting events at the village and throughout the country. In May, the village celebrated National Women's Day and then marked Earth week with lectures and events about environmentalism. In June,...

This January, the village welcomed its second class of 125 students. These new students, now well into their first year at Agahozo-Shalom, have settled into their family homes, where students live in groups of 16 with a house mother, a big brother or sister and a volunteer who mentors the students. The second year students...

Dear Friends and Supporters of Agahozo-Shalom, It gives me great pleasure to share with you this update from Agahozo-Shalom, where life has continued with such enthusiasm and passion that sometimes it takes my breath away. Since April when you last heard from us we have continued to make great strides, both in the...

Agahozo-Shalom Today, in the Rwandan Context The Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village was created as a direct response to the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide. Central to its implementation, was the creation of a future cadre of Rwandans who valued life universal, understood the importance of community service, and committed...

The Last Saturday of the First month By Jean-Pierre Nkuranga Director of Informal Education January 31st 2009, The Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village has been buoyant with youthful voices for 45 days now, and the kids take part in their first day of collective community service (UMUGANDA) in their new hometown of...