For the staff of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, there is a particular joy in welcoming a new colleague who was once a student at ASYV. We love to see our kids grow up and return home to help us raise the next generation.

Today, 17 alumni are current staff members. Meet six of these remarkable employees below.

Emmanuel Kwizera 

Inventory and Logistics Intern and Big Brother, ASYV Class of 2015

"It makes me happy when I see an alum working as a nurse or an IT staff member, which was something I thought was impossible. I couldn't believe that he or she could do it when Anne [Heyman] used to talk about [employing alumni] eight years ago. As alumni, we are in touch as much as we can, not only like we studied at the same school but as brothers and sisters."

Emmanuel works in Inventory and Logistics to support the receipt and issuance of goods for all different departments around the Village. In the evenings, he is busy serving as a big brother to an ASYV student family. 

He loves the time he spends with students at Mucaka Mucaka on weekends and after school during sports enrichment programs. 

Outside of his daily work, he loves to play volleyball with students, read, and watch movies.

Kevin Mugina

Economics Teacher and Big Brother, ASYV Class of 2012

"ASYV kids shower me with love and it gives me a strong sense of belonging that I had lacked for a long time. I enjoy watching my students grow not only physically, but also academically. Above all, I delight in working with the team that educated and nurtured me into who I am today."

Before joining the Village as an economics teacher, Kevin recalls that he was more dependent and less responsible. In his role, he has learned how to work with students from all different backgrounds with all different skill levels. 

Outside the classroom, one of the things he enjoys the most is chatting with other ASYV alumni working in different departments. “We sometimes meet to discuss the growth and development of our younger brothers and sisters. Comparing our experiences ends up resulting in a lot of fun and laughs.”

In addition to teaching, Kevin enjoys reading, research, watching movies, and playing football (soccer). 

Marie Aimee Mukeshuwera

Library & School Intern and Big Sister, ASYV Class of 2012

"I really enjoy many things, but mostly I like the time when I'm with kids. For example, being with them in Family Time, where I have enough time to share my ASYV experience with them."

Aime oversees the library, helping students and teachers get the books and resources they need. In addition, she provides essential administrative support to the Liquidnet Family High School by taking meeting minutes, managing student attendance and other reports, securing school supplies for students, and supporting other needs as they arise. 

For Aime, it has been a challenging but exciting transition to go from being a student to a staff member. She has had to adapt to the Village as a place of work and she has had to meet many new people who weren’t in the Village during her school years. 

When she’s not in the library or at school, Aime can be found reading novels, playing football (soccer), praying, or counseling students. 

Platini Nkurunziza 

Nurse Intern and Life Skills Trainer, ASYV Class of 2015

"Other alumni [working at ASYV] are my brothers and sisters. We share a lot because they know me and I know them well. We work hand in hand in order to make ASYV a more beautiful place. They are the best workers because they are always seeking to encourage and develop our younger brothers and sisters."

Platini works in the Health & Wellness department to support clinic staff in the assessment and diagnosis of students with health concerns. In addition, he works as a life skills trainer at the Liquidnet Family High School, teaching students about different health-related topics, from hygiene to sexual and reproductive health. He enjoys helping students to feel better and is proud to be able to support his younger brothers and sisters in this way.

In his free time, he loves to spend time with friends from ASYV and to play basketball. 

Devotha Tuyambaze

Cashier and Big Sister, ASYV Class of 2012

"Working with other alumni is very smooth and enjoyable. We work as a team with the same ambition of paying it forward and we understand each other."

After graduating as part of our first class of students in 2012, Devotha studied finance at the University of Rwanda. After completing her degree in 2017, she was selected to intern in the Village as a store keeper and big sister to an ASYV student family. In 2018, during her internship, a job vacancy opened up in our finance department. In her current role, Devotha supports accounting and reconciliation. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports and reading books.

Diane Uwimana

School Administrator, ASYV Class of 2015

"I remember when I was a student, I wanted to learn English so that once I was done with high school, I could go back to my rural village and run an English program that teaches young people. I wanted to empower them, tell them not to give up, and motivate them to work hard for a bright future. Joining ASYV as a staff member became like a dream come true. I wanted to pay it forward, which I strongly feel this environment allows me to accomplish."

In her role as school administrator, Diane  plans daily activities for students and teachers, manages scheduling changes, and provides a variety of additional support, as needed, at the Liquidnet Family High School. “Every day I learn new things,” says Diane, whose day begins bright and early at 7:00 a.m.

When she’s not busy at school, Diane can be found reading and volunteering.

We’re also very lucky to have the following alumni staff members as part of our family:

• Protogene Benimana, Casual Worker, ASYV Class of 2017

• Justin Mutangana, IT Officer, ASYV Class of 2012

• Eric Kabiyona, Visitor Services Officer, ASYV Class of 2014

• Etienne Kubwimana, Casual Worker, ASYV Class of 2017

• Jack Mbarushimana, LEAP Officer, ASYV Class of 2013

• Dinah Mudahogora, Casual Worker, ASYV Class of 2017

• Antoinnette Mukeshimana, Nurse Intern, ASYV Class of 2014

• Oscar Murwanashyaka, Logistics Officer, ASYV Class of 2017

• Jean Claude Muzerwa, IT Trainer, ASYV Class of 2013

• Ferdinand Nsekanabo, Sewing Trainer, ASYV Class of 2017

• Angelique Uwihirwe, Security Guard, ASYV Class of 2018

Akazi Kanoze Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program Brings Alumni Back to the Village for Training

In addition to the seventeen alumni who are working in the Village as staff, four alumni have recently returned to ASYV to join a special agricultural entrepreneurship training program. Free for the alumni involved, the program was started by our head chef, Hilam Nsengiyumva, after the Village reopened in October. His goal is to teach participating alumni how to use small plots of land to produce crops. He named the program Akazi Kanoze after the nationwide Akazi Kanoze Youth Livelihoods Project, which trains young Rwandans in work readiness and entrepreneurship with the intention of helping them make a living from the resources available in their home communities. As a result of the Akazi Kanoze program at ASYV, our alumni are not only learning, they are also paying it forward - all of the crops they raise go back to the Village to feed our 650 students and staff.