Celebrating our 10th Graduating Class
Shining a Light
On the morning of July 8, the 120 graduating members of our Umucyo (meaning light in Kinyarwanda) grade donned their green caps and gowns and prepared to celebrate their time at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV). After two years without a full graduation ceremony, a crowd of guardians, honored guests, and one cow—generously gifted to the Village by Umucyo grade—joined us on the Village football field to recognize the remarkable talent, resilience, and accomplishments of ASYV's 10th graduating class.
“We were given value and told that we were worthy regardless of the vulnerabilities that used to define us,” said Umucyo grade’s Asiimwe Hirwa Deborah Meillah, during her valedictory remarks. “We were given a chance to stand up and speak our truth after previously being seen as living proof of failure. We were given the opportunity to restore the rhythm of our life.”
The day also featured student performances and projects—such as a mechanical walking stick for the blind and a table made entirely from recycled materials—and ample celebratory joy. Thank you, Umucyo grade, for being our ASYV family’s shining light. We can’t wait to see what you do next.
For highlights from Deborah’s speech and the graduation ceremony, check out the below video.
Passion Projects
Our graduates are now in the midst of their national exams, and most of our younger students have headed back to their home communities for the summer. But before winding up the school year, our kids shared three new posts in our student blog, Bwira News.
The African Child & Happiness and Pride
Wivine Cyuzuzo, Class of 2023, discusses two of her original paintings. “I created this painting for International Day of the African Child to exhibit how African kids are often exposed to work that overpowers them.” (Read more)
How Enrichment Year Helped Me to Heal
Ishimwe Pacifique, Class of 2025, reflects on how his earliest days in the Village changed him. “After finding out that I could come to the Village, the hours and days stopped moving. One day became like a month. It felt like an endless dream.” (Read more)
Deborah Mukeshimana, Class of 2022, explores the inspiration behind her latest writing project. “Since my book is based on a true story, my own, at times I’ve found it to be extremely difficult to battle my emotions, which are total forces of nature. Still, much has been accomplished.” (Read more)