Q: How many people live in the Village and who are they?
A: Currently, Agahozo-Shalom is home to 375 young people ages 15-21. In December 2011, we hope the Village will reach its full capacity of 500, with 125 new students entering each year as 125 graduate. The Village will employ approximately 150 educators and professionals to maintain it.
Q: How are youth chosen to come to the Village?
A: Village youth are orphans drawn from each of the 30 districts in Rwanda. Geographic diversity ensures that the knowledge and experiences that the young people gain while at the Village are spread throughout the country when they leave. The Village strives to serve the most vulnerable youth; each class is made up of about 60% girls. Each student must have enough academic skills to be able to complete three years of high school only one year of "catch-up." However, there is no educational testing prior to acceptance, nor is there any health testing.
Q: Do young people live at the Village full-time?
A: Yes, but they also return to their hometowns for vacations throughout the year. Those who have no relatives or friends to visit are encouraged to go home with friends and educators from the Village. We believe it is essential for our kids to maintain their ties to people and places outside the Village who have meaning in their lives.
Q: What will happen after the students graduate?
A: We hope that many of our young people will have the potential to earn scholarships and attain university degrees. Other students will use their high school education and skill-based training to find professions in which they can be self-sufficient and support families if they so choose. ASYV is now in the process of developing a career-counseling program to help students plan effectively for their futures.
Q: Most of the orphans from the genocide are now grown. Who will live in the Village in the future?
A: ASYV will continue to serve Rwandan young people orphaned or made vulnerable by AIDS, drug use, mental illness, extreme poverty and other causes.
Q: How have Rwandan people/local communities responded to the project?
A: Rwandans on every level have embraced the philosophy behind the Village. The Village employs more than 100 Rwandan staff in a variety of capacities from directors to counselors to cooks. The project has the support of the Rwandan government, and has been encouraged and assisted by many Rwandan ministries and dignitaries. President Kagame has endorsed the project and the first lady also visited the Village in 2010.
Q: How do different religions co-exist in the Village?
A: ASYV is a non-sectarian project and everyone is free to practice their own religions. The majority of the staff and young people in the Village are Christian, whether Catholic, Protestant, or Seventh Day Adventist; we also have some Muslim students and staff. The Religion Club is a student organization responsible for recognizing the religions and observances of all those practicing in the Village. The members keep a calendar of holidays and educate the community about customs practiced. They also address any problems that members of religious groups may encounter. This club recognizes the importance of education and teaching acceptance of different world views and beliefs. The Village youth also have the option to attend worship services in the local town of Rubona.
Q: How can I help?
A: Fundraising, awareness-raising and collecting gifts-in-kind are the most useful ways to help the youth of Agahozo-Shalom. There are also opportunities for volunteering at the Village in Rwanda. See how you can Get Involved.
