Agahozo-Shalom graduates will not only be able to care for themselves and their families, but will form a cadre of individuals with a strong commitment to improving their community and the world, utilizing the tools that Agahozo-Shalom has given them to take action and contribute towards the future of a country recovering from complete devastation. Agahozo-Shalom brings not only new educational and pedagogic methodologies to Rwanda, but also a new philosophy with regards to the expectations, treatment and the role of orphans. Bringing expertise from around the world, Agahozo-Shalom aims to be a leader and teacher in the areas of sustainable agriculture, environmentalism, information technology and agro-forestry.
In addition to having a major impact on the development of the children and staff at Agahozo-Shalom as well as the country as a whole, this project will also make a profound impression on multiple other groups: the long term volunteers who share their expertise with the village, the participants in our short-term service-learning programs, the professionals who attend seminars there; the entrepreneurs who engage in the newly presented commercial opportunities; and all those who visit from far and wide. Already others are beginning to recognize the immense capacity for replication and profound impact that Agahozo-Shalom represents. The comprehensive and innovative response to the trauma of the orphan experience, whatever the cause, will serve as a model for the successful integration of orphans into civil society, wherever they may be.
