Last Year's Heroes: The Youth of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village
The Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) aims to be a safe and structured residential community for orphaned children in Rwanda. Now, the village is home to 250 orphans, it will eventually be home to 500 traumatized youth, graduating 125 students from high school each year. The village was created to be a secure and organized community for Rwandan orphans. It is a place of great hope, a place where young people will "dry their tears" (Agahozo) and "live in peace (Shalom).
The children are not only provided with a home at Agahozo, but also food, clothing, a good education, opportunities to engage in community service as well as extra-curricular activities. But most importantly, the youth are given a family and the opportunity to heal and advance. The rich and communal living environment of the village provides the security, structure, and unconditional support which are vital to rehabilitating orphans who otherwise would not experience any form of normative ‘family’ life. This will enable them to feel nurtured, so that they may begin the healing process, and also cultivate a strong sense of self and of social justice.
Summer of 2010, Charlotte Wright, a Halloween for Heroes director, traveled to Agahozo-Shalom. She was incredibly moved by the resilience of the Rwandan people who endured the horrors of one of the greatest atrocities our world has ever seen. Charlotte was particularly inspired by the resilience of the youth at Agahozo-Shalom who's optimisim, faith and courage shine daily. Every young person Charlotte met during her time in the village was actively devoted to learning and spoke to her about their dreams for their future and the role they hope to play in bettering their country. She is confident that all of these teenagers will go on to fulfill their dreams and make their country and the world a better place.
It was the goal that through Halloween for Heroes 2010 many will learn about the history of Rwanda and the importance of education in the healing of the nation. It is hoped that those touched by Halloween for Heroes will help support these heroes, the youth of Agahozo-Shalom, who strive to improve Rwanda AND the world. A strong educational system is vital to rehabilitating the younger generation. ASYV will give its students the skills they need to realize their potential as individuals and to become contributing members of society, helping to build a stronger Rwanda. ASYV 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 ASYV has given them to take action and contribute towards the future of a country recovering from complete devastation.
Thus, the potential significance of ASYV reaches far beyond Rwanda, as this project has immense capacity for replication and profound impact. The comprehensive and innovative response to the trauma of the orphan and genocide experience will serve as a model for the successful integration of orphans into civil society, wherever they may be.
For more information and to donate directly visit http://www.agahozo-shalom.org.
