Witness to Amazing Transformations

When applying to serve as a year-long fellow back in 2013, I was relatively clueless to the power of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village.

On a snowy mid December day, I joined my cohort of fellows for orientation in New York and clearly remember conversations with past cousins who spoke excitedly of the "magical vibe" within the Village. I can recall listening to founder Anne Heyman talk with unreserved passion and enthusiasm about the inspiring stories that were already unfolding since its inception five years previously.

To be entirely truthful, I wondered if such a place could really exist. Being a typically sceptical Brit, surely the journey I was about to embark on was being embellished. The Village was portrayed as a pioneering, almost utopian society and it was tough for me to believe the hype.

The day after arriving in Rwanda, my cohort received a warm welcome from then HR Director, Celine Uwineza, and Grade Coordinator,  Longin Kubwimana. We were later introduced to ASYV Senior 5 students Jacky Tuyisenge and Eunice Umubyeyi. It was after meeting the two girls that my initial doubts began to diminish.

I'd obviously never met either of these young women before they arrived at Agahozo-Shalom, but I was genuinely staggered by their alacrity, confidence, and humility. I recall thinking Jacky was humouring me when she asked if I'd like her to sing me a song whilst being transported around Kigali. When I dubiously replied, "sure, why not?", she preceded to belt out a Whitney Houston classic without a care in the world.

Upon meeting my new family, I began to realise the full impact of ASYV. On December 28th, fifteen timid, scared looking teenage boys (plus Oscar Murwanashyaka who was anything but) waved goodbye to their guardians and officially became students and residents of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village. The demeanour of these boys in contrast with that of the two Senior 5 girls I'd met a couple of days earlier was striking.

The first few weeks with the family were a little awkward. You could literally hear the night chorus of frogs and crickets with most of the boys lacking the confidence to speak during Family Time. Some began to emerge from their shells, but others remained mostly silent unless prompted to speak about their thoughts and feelings. When asked to talk about their day, the general answer would be something along the lines of, "For me, my day was so good. Thank you." Others would refer to their day as, "somehow" (meaning it was okay), and Oscar would spend around half an hour meticulously going over every small event from brushing his teeth to tying his shoelaces.

With time, I began to witness amazing transformations. The healing combination of formal and informal education within a stable and loving environment contributes immensely toward the development of each and every child in the Village. I observed an astronomical rise in many individuals’ confidence over a relatively short period of time. The students who were too self-conscious to utter a single word during family time later went on to become frequent performers at the weekly talent show, bringing crowds of over 500 people to their feet in applause.

I watched Theoneste Niyomushumba - an incredibly shy boy who was initially only interested in developing himself as a musician - rise from one of the lowest scoring school students right the way to the top. I witnessed Marie-Rose Mushimiyimana, one of my mentees and an absolute wallflower in Senior 4 - grow into a strong and inspiring leader for the Female Solidarity Group. I saw Maxim Iryumugaba - who by his own account knew next to no English before arriving at the ASYV - blow everyone away with his valedictorian speech at the Ingenzi graduation. I clearly recall Dr. Stephen Smith (Executive Director of USC Shoah Foundation ) playfully declare, "I can't believe I've been asked to make remarks after Maxim. How am I supposed to follow that?"

Perhaps the best indicator of change comes when learning each student's goals and aspirations now in comparison with when they arrived. One evening whilst leading family time, I asked each of the boys what they wanted to do for a living. Among sixteen, there were five different answers. Soldier, taxi driver, president (Oscar), bar owner, and "businessman", the latter of which they couldn't explain. If I were to ask the very same question to any student from Senior 4 upward, the most common responses would be doctor, engineer, and teacher. Moise Gasana wants to be a astronaut! Gotta dream right?

But the mission of ASYV is not solely to transform the lives of the students. Tikkun Halev is the cornerstone for healing the kids of their emotional wounds and preparing them to be self-sufficient adults. ASYV's vision is much bigger, however, with the philosophy of Tikkun Olam. One of the things I admired most about Anne Heyman was her humility. The kids would shower her with praise and endlessly thank her for the immense efforts she made in order to restore hope and happiness in their lives. During the Imbuto graduation, she responded with, "Don't thank me, pay it forward". The Village encourages its students to always act philanthropically and teaches the importance of giving back to society. When ASYV invests in one child, they are potentially investing in the welfare of entire communities.

Last year I interviewed Merci Uwimbabazi, a Senior 4 student who serves as Health Minister in the Student Government, Miss Core Values of the Imena grade, and Vice President of the Female Solidarity group. Merci told me that when she arrived in the Village, she felt unable to express her thoughts, beliefs, and opinions. Looking at this strong, confident young lady, it was somewhat hard to believe she hadn't always been that way. But what struck me the most was her empathy and compassion. She spoke of how her professional goal is to become a doctor, not for money or status, but simply because she felt it was her duty to help the sick. Merci also expressed that she had a responsibility to use her voice to promote gender equality worldwide, and I honestly believe she'll go on to do just that.

To learn more, I joined the management team as they travelled to meet ASYV alumni in Musanze, northern province. Eric Tuyisenge, head of Monitoring and Evaluation collected information related to their progress since leaving the Village's blue steel gates. Aside from success stories of their own, including obtaining university degrees and starting new businesses, some had initiated their own charities and many volunteered their skills to surrounding communities. It was clear that Anne's legacy and the spirit of ASYV lived on in these young men and women long after graduating.

Three-and-a-half years since joining ASYV, it's plain to see the enormous impact ASYV's holistic model has had on the lives of so many since the dream began in 2007. Perhaps the most encouraging thought is that ASYV's very first students, the Urumuli Grade, have only just graduated from university, and the greatest achievements and success stories are still yet to come. And with so many more ASYV students to follow in their footsteps, I can only see a bright future for Rwanda, and, dare I say, the world.

My Experience as an ASYV Fellow

In 2013, I joined a one-year fellowship that entailed working with some of the most vulnerable young men and women in Rwanda. Three years later, I could never have predicted the impact the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) would have had on my life.

ASYV is a place where “tears are dried” (signified by the Kinyarwanda word, agahozo) and where vulnerable youth can “live in peace” (from the Hebrew word, shalom). It was modelled after Yemin Orde, an Israeli youth village established in 1953, which originally cared for orphans of the Holocaust. Each year, the Village selects 128 at-risk teenagers aged between 15 and 18 to undergo a four-year healing and educational process. Through love, education, and sophisticated life skills programmes, the goal of the organisation is to transform each child into healthy, self-sufficient, and socially responsible citizens.

During my initial year at the Village, my role was to co-manage the informal education department alongside the programme coordinator and the director. The departmental goal was to provide an enriching educational environment that would enable teens to gain new skills and confidence, whilst encouraging them to think and act philanthropically. 

I was later tasked with developing a comprehensive communication strategy to promote and increase the visibility of the organisation to its partners, donors, and to the general public. My duties included coordinating the design, production, and distribution of all promotional and communication materials to be used on social media, blogs, website, newsletters, email blasts, infographics, speeches, annual reports, fact sheets, and the online magazine. 

Aside from my professional roles, I also served as mentor to a family of sixteen (and later eighteen) teenage boys. Referred to as their “cousin”, I was tasked with teaching them English, building their confidence, and acting as a continuous pillar of support. Most of my work with the family took place during family time – a one-hour period each evening that we spent together playing educational games, watching videos, or discussing current affairs. Additional roles included teaching sports, coaching the boys and girls football teams, and leading the environment club.

Toward the end of my first year in the Village, I was asked to write a short article for the ASYV website that was to be entitled “My Year as a Village Fellow”. My task was to summarise the twelve months I had spent living and working in the Village and to give advice to the new group of fellows who would succeed my cohort.

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Leigh Woods – Agahozo-Shalom Village Fellow 2014/2016, Programs Coordinator Assistant and Sports Development/ Communications and Development

The year that I spent living and working at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village has been an incredibly insightful and gratifying experience. Before arriving, I remember feeling slightly apprehensive about my impending assignment. It wasn’t at all nervous about my professional responsibilities, but the task of serving as a “cousin” and mentor to eighteen teenage boys was a little daunting.

It quickly became apparent that my initial anxieties were entirely unwarranted. Despite my busy and at times exhausting schedule, my favourite part of each day was undoubtedly the one-hour I spent with the boys during family time. Whether playing educational games, debating hot topics, or discussing current world affairs, there was never a dull moment.

ASYV's holistic model has contributed immensely toward the development of each and every child in the Village. In addition, I have witnessed an astronomical rise in many individuals’ confidence and emotional intelligence over a very short period of time.

Amazing transformations are occurring within all areas of the Village. In formal education, the students’ grasp of the English language is rapidly improving and there is no greater testimony of their skills than during weekly family debates. In informal education, I have seen students who had never held a paintbrush before, go on to create their own masterpieces. One boy from my family couldn’t play a single chord on the guitar before arriving in the Village. Ten lessons later, all I can say is watch your back Van Halen.

As I come to the end of my time in the Village, I have started to reflect on my experience. In doing so, I've considered which aspects I will miss the most. After ruminating over the many great characteristics of the Village, I believe that the thing I will miss more than anything else is being in the company of such cheerful and optimistic people. For kids and staff alike, the level of enthusiasm for learning is striking, and every opportunity for personal growth is embraced with open arms. To leave an environment that exudes such profound positive energy is going to be tough.

As I conclude this piece, I think about those who will succeed us. My advice to future fellows is to bring to the Village a sense of good will and an open mind. Be accepting of living in an unfamiliar environment that encompasses many cultural differences. The earlier the fellows adapt to Rwandan life and embrace these cultural variations, the better.

The greatest advice I can give to future fellows is to frequently ask themselves the question, “Who am I here for?” Understand that every decision should be made in the best interests of the children. Put all of your effort into every little thing you do in the Village and the entire experience will be far more rewarding. Be sure not to end your tenure with any regrets, or with the feeling that you could have used your time more productively. Above all, immerse yourselves in the philosophy of the Village and embrace all that reside here with an open heart.