Rebuilding a hopeful future for Rwandan orphans

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 Football Team. In August, the Village's amphitheater was inaugurated with a ceremony that included a play; a fashion show; and dance, hip-hop and choral performances. Construction was also completed on several new buildings, including a state-of-the-art science center, an art and music center, a health clinic, and an administrative building, as well as four greenhouses and a plant nursery near the High School for students concentrating in the sciences. The Ministry of Agriculture donated a tractor for the farm, and 200 computers given by the government of South Korea are currently being set up. In addition, a beautifully landscaped plaza in the center of the Village is nearing completion.

A cow on the farm gave birth to a new calf recently, which has joined many other animals, including about 1,200 chickens. The chickens produce upwards of 500 eggs every day once they start laying. The Tikkun Olam Club, one of the Village's many student organizations, has been very active in doing community service; among their projects from this past year were teaching English to students at nearby Rubona Primary School and rebuilding the homes of vulnerable people in the area. The Village's Debate Club held a formal debate on affirmative action for women in Rwanda and discussed many other issues, from drugs to the value of education to NATO's involvement in Libya. Agahozo-Shalom teams competed in Rwamagana District's interscholastic sports finals, and won three trophies — in basketball, football and volleyball — over much more experienced teams. Kids from A.S.Y.V. also participated in local elections, taking the opportunity to learn about the electoral process and their civic responsibilities.

The Village has also played host to student groups from Tufts University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Wisconsin, and several employees of Liquidnet Holdings Inc. visited as well to lend their professional expertise. Dr. Aissa Kirabo Kakira, governor of Rwanda's Eastern Province, visited Liquidnet Family High School recently, praising both the staff for creating such a special opportunity and the students for taking such full advantage of it.