Rebuilding a hopeful future for Rwandan orphans

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 “physical plant” of Agahozo-Shalom (first phase of construction completed, green grass and young trees dotting the landscape, eating our own vegetables from our farm) and in program implementation (trainings for staff, refinements in process and procedures, introduction of new enrichment activities).

Our children have settled into a “rhythm of life” that would be familiar to many of us, but for many of them is really beyond their wildest dreams. Just last week they took a field trip in to the capital city of Kigali, a modern western city which is quite an eye-opener compared to the pastoral green hills that make up most of rural Rwanda. The children visited a factory, a radio station and the Kigali International airport. Back at school they are in the process of choosing the courses they will study for their last three years of high school and for which they will have to take their matriculation exams. And as they begin to plan their next year at Agahozo-Shalom, so too have we begun to identify/recruit and to plan for the next class of 125 who will be joining us in December, which is really just around the corner.

The past six months has not been without its challenges. Although we were able to raise the funds to complete the payment for our construction (which includes future infrastructure needs, the farm, sports facilities as well as the community center, high school, and homes which can accommodate 500 children as well as visitor accommodations) the economic environment has made it difficult for us to raise the money needed for basic operating costs, and has made us keep purchases for the incoming class down to a bare minimum. Clean water continues to be a challenge, as does the very high cost of electricity and we are exploring solutions for both. The day to day trials, however, pale when compared to the accomplishments. In the green hills of Rwamagana there sits a real, live, operating youth village. It has a school which children cannot wait to get to in the morning. They eat 3 delicious nutritious meals a day with vegetables they have grown in their own farm. They sing, dance and play sports in the afternoons, go to the learning center and library, use computers, do their homework and dream about what they are going to be when they “grow up”. And they don’t stop thinking – and telling us – about how they are going to change the world.

The ripple effects of Agahozo-Shalom are already being felt in many ways and many places both in and outside of Rwanda. Although we are barely up and running ourselves, people from all over the world are visiting and beginning to talk to us about ways in which they can implement our or a similar model elsewhere. Please don’t underestimate the impact of your decision to join us in this remarkable journey. And come and visit! There is no better way to understand what is happening at Agahozo-Shalom than to spend a few days at the village, eating with the kids, sharing in activities. We are waiting for you with open arms.

Wishing you all the very best,

Anne Heyman, Founder, Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village