Generation Rwanda/Orphans of Rwanda

Generation Rwanda has changed its name from Orphans of Rwanda. We are still dedicated to helping orphans and other socially vulnerable young people in Rwanda pursue a university education and ultimately become leaders in driving economic development and social reconciliation. We currently support 160 students who are united by a desire to create meaningful change in Rwanda’s economy and society.

The 1994 Rwandan genocide and the AIDS epidemic have produced the highest percentage of orphans in the world, with over 825,000 orphans in Rwanda–a country of 10 million people. Generation Rwanda aims to support the country’s development by enabling talented yet vulnerable young Rwandans to achieve their leadership potential. Our selection process is highly competitive. In 2008, we received 1,475 applications and accepted 47 students. We recently received 2,667 applications from young Rwandans throughout the country who would like to join our sixth class of scholars.

Of the 160 students in our program, 66 percent, or 105, have lost both their parents and 48, or 30 percent, have lost their mother or father. All of the students we support have overcome adversity and are driven to pursue their highest ambitions. During a student meeting in Kigali, one of our students said, “I have a dream that may sound more like a joke than a dream, but its craziness is matched by the depth with which I hold this dream in my heart. My goal is to be the best IT professional in Rwanda.” Given the historical exclusion of vulnerable Rwandans from attending university, such a statement would have once been outlandish; today, it is a concrete possibility.