Support youth in Rwanda & my trip

Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda
HELLO-
Some of you may already know that I was selected to be part of a group who will be going to Rwanda in September!! I am beyond excited for this amazing opportunity!!! I will be traveling with other young professionals from around the world to volunteer with the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV), the youth village that is changing Rwanda. ASYV began as a special project supported by JDC and is a residential community in rural Rwanda, home to y...outh who were orphaned during and after the genocide in 1994. The Village is designed to care for, protect and nurture it's students while developing Rwanda's future leaders. Within ASYV's supportive and structured community, the rhythm of life is being restored, with the ultimate goal of equipping young people who have lived through great trauma to become healthy, self-sufficient, and engaged in the rebuilding of their nation

I am raising funds that will cover a portion of my trip, supplies and gifts that I like to give to the orphans and to help Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village continue with their amazing mission and work.

Tikkun olam (Hebrew: תיקון עולם or תקון עולם[1]‎) is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world" (or "healing the world") which suggests humanity's shared responsibility to heal, repair and transform the world.  This is definately a responsibility I own as I was once an orphan, a Jew, a women and just a person on this planet. 

I thank you for taking the time to read this page and for any amount (nothing is too small) you feel compelled to donate. 
Love and Gratitude,

Hollie

WHY RWANDA???
In 1994, Rwanda suffered a devastating genocide leading to many social hardships. One of the leading issues lingering throughout the country is a high number of orphaned children and vulnerable youth. Despite this catastrophe, the country defies the odds as it rebuilds itself into a thriving and stable country.

WHY A YOUTH VILLAGE???
Modeled after Yemin Orde, an Israeli youth village established in 1953, which originally cared for orphans from the Holocaust, ASYV is a place where "tears are dried" (signified by the Kinyarwanda word, agahozo) and where vulnerable youth can “live in peace” (from the Hebrew word, shalom).

ASYV's model combines three essential elements to encourage our youths' intellectual and emotional growth:
• Loving support of a family
• A structured education
• Enriching extracurricular programs

The family structure is key to our youths' healing. The village places each youth, by gender, into residential families of 16. The family environment fosters a 'brother' and 'sister' dynamic. In each home, a Rwandan mama guides our youth through their healing and holds the primary responsibility for each child's physical and emotional well-being. 

I encourage you to check out the ASYV website and blog  at www.asyv.org