GROUP 1 CorpsAfrica/Rwanda

Mildred Chirwa (right) is from Malawi. She holds a Bachelors' Degree in Arts- Humanities majoring in Social Philosophy from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College. She is a founder and owner of Drez Fashions, which designs and makes custom-made clothes, footwear and accessories. As a young leader, Mildred has worked with organizations like the Commonwealth, World Peace Organization, Network for Youth Development and was recently selected as a YALI Fellow. 

Mouhiddine Hamma(left) is from Safi, Morocco. He graduated from the Institute of Graphics Design in Casablanca and the Institute of Aircraft Construction Option: Fittings and Assembly of Aircraft Industry. He was a volunteer at Franco-Marocaine to develop schools and install water in schools. He served as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Morocco and in Malawi at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp. 

Mildred and Mouhiddine served as CorpsAfrica Volunteers in Malawi and recently married. They are serving together as a married couple in Rwanda.

Murego Donatien holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Water and Environmental Engineering program from University of Rwanda, College of Science and Technology and has a strong background in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. He has experience in design, planning, management and implementation of water, irrigation, sanitation and building construction related projects with both public and private companies. He is an active member of the Rwanda Young Water Professionals Association, which addresses water challenges in Rwanda and provides capacity-building, networking and knowledge sharing as well as advocacy for its members by involving them in addressing adverse challenges on water resources management. He speaks fluent English, native Kinyarwanda and intermediate French.

​Speciose KUBWIMANA was born and raised in Rwanda. She holds a bachelors degree in Land Administration and Management from the Institute of Applied Science (INES Ruhengeri /Rwanda) in  2018. She conducted her academic internship in Rwanda Land Management and Use Authority under the office of the Nyarugenge District Land Office. In this position, she learned how to become a good archivist, compiling land documents, customer care and how to deal with the District land issue cases. Before joining CorpsAfrica, Speciose worked as a data collector for a USAID land project, where she worked on Access to the Land Tenure Administration System in Rwanda and the Impact of the System on Ordinary Citizens project. Speciose believes that serving as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer provides the opportunity for her to be part of the change she would like to see in her community.

MUTABAZI Innocent was born and raised in Rwanda. He holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Wildlife and Aquatic Resources Management from the University of Rwanda. He is President of Cooperative of Youth Integrated Development and Self-Reliance (COOYIDSR) at Burera District. He is also an advisor to the Wildlife and Aquatic Biodiversity Association in Rwanda (WABCA-RWA). He was the college student representative at his university and carried out an academic internship at Volcano National Park in conservation and in aquaculture production. He worked at Rubavu border as a clearing agent. Apart from that, he has attended different trainings and conferences such us training on leadership (7 Habits of Highly Effective People), on infectious disease management, demonstration site, and mini-conferences. Before joining CorpsAfrica, he volunteered with the Red Cross in their blood donation program. Innocent's mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with passion, compassion, humor, and style. He also believes that the best love is the one that makes you a better person, without changing you into someone other than yourself. 

Belle Ange Niyonshuti is a native of Rwanda, Gasabo District. She graduated from the University of Rwanda, College of Science and Technology and holds a bachelor’s degree in Water and Environmental Engineering. She participated in the organization of the Joint 5th SASA International Conference and 2nd Rwanda Biotechnology Conference where she presented her final year project entitled “Estimating the Water Footprint of Coffee Production in Rwanda” and was published in SASA’s Book of Abstract. Prior to joining CorpsAfrica, she volunteered with Rotaract Club of Kigali City and 3D Christian Camp aiming at bringing peace and international understanding to the world through mentorship programs, communication, leadership and professional development and also empowering youth and helping them participate in identifying their problems and find durable solutions. She did her professional internship in Water and Sanitation Corporation Ltd. (WASAC) in the department of Urban Water and Sewerage Services under the Unit of Mapping and Zoning, which led her to work in the Department of Water and Sanitation Development involving in water supply and sanitation projects. She participated in the development of the Rwanda National Integrated Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan by collecting data needed for this project to be implemented. Belle Ange believes that being born rich or poor is not really what matters, the best thing of all is compassion, mercy and love, little moments that differentiate ordinary from extraordinary and that’s what she really longs for, putting a smile on someone’s face without waiting for something in return. She loves serving the community, especially vulnerable people. In her free time, she enjoys reading, swimming and watching movies.

Emmanuel NSHIMIYIMANA is 27 years old and single. He was born and brought up in the South of Rwanda. Since his early childhood, he wished to live a modern life in an urban area though he had not experienced it even a bit as he was born and lived in a rural area. He likes very much to sing and is passionate about being with young children and working to help vulnerable communities. Emmanuel studied education in High School and University and graduated from the University of Rwanda, College of Education. He was awarded a Bachelor of Education, Second Upper Class Honors in July 2015. He taught in a primary school for almost a year before attending university and during university he worked as an English tutor in an after school program for vulnerable children at CHABHA Rwanda. He worked with Teach Rwanda as a Preschool teacher and also helped for translations and other facilitations in the training of Preschool teachers in 2016. Emmanuel did his first volunteer work at ICS (International Citizen Service) with International Service Rwanda from September to December 2016. He worked with children, youth and women and raised awareness on children's rights and HIV/ AIDS, and helped the women to start some small projects in their Self Help Groups. Before joining CorpsAfrica, he volunteered with VSO Rwanda as a National Volunteer-Sector Learning Facilitator where he implemented the Building Learning Foundations project activities in three sectors. He does data collection, trains teachers and other education staff at sector level, school visits, and more. He is very glad to join CorpsAfrica to help poor communities overcome their problems and live a good life.

Patrick RUMANYIKA, aged 24, is a self-motivated person with the urge and enthusiasm to produce results, develop ideas, and work in transparency. He finished school in 2017 and obtained a Bachelors degree in Development Economics from the University of Rwanda, College of Business and Economics-Huye campus. During and after the completion of studies, he had an opportunity to intern in various public and private institutions such as the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission under the office of the Planning Officer. He also worked at C&H MADE IN AFRICA, where he was an intern in the office of finance and marketing. He was also assigned to other temporary duties such as being part of enumerators in two government institutions, namely Rwanda Association of Local and Government Authorities, and in Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission, and as well as being a data clerk and analyst at Kash Consult Ltd. Patrick believes that when youth are empowered, they have the power and influence to change their community livelihoods and the world at large, and their power should never be underestimated. Where there's a will, there's a way. Let's go!

​Assane SECK is from Saint-Louis, Senegal. Convinced that active citizen participation is the key to the emergence of the continent, after his Bachelor of Letters, Arts and Communication at the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis, he joined the Forum Civil, as an Animator for the Center for Integrity and Active Citizenship. In parallel, he continued his university studies until Master 2 in Letters, Languages and Communication. In 2017, he participated in the fifth training session in Public Management at Young African Leadership Initiative. He served in the second group of CorpsAfrica Volunteers in Senegal.

Ladislas SIBOMANA is a Rwandan holding a Bachelor’s Degree of Science with honour in Computer Engineering from the University of Rwanda College of Sciences and Technology (former KIST) obtained in 2015 and a diploma in Political Party Development, Public Policies, Good Governance and Social Networking from Rwanda Youth Political Leadership Academy obtained in 2016. He is proficient in facilitation, public and team management, leadership and community development. 
He has been involved in community development and related activities since February 2011. He started by facilitating people with disabilities in their right, avoid HIV/AIDS and small business development in his birth place, Kirehe District eastern province. In 2013, Ladislas volunteered at www.tohoza.com, an online platform that provides information about new opportunities to facilitate web visitors and monitor the content. After graduating in 2015, he taught advanced level classes in computer science at sainte thereza girl’s high school in Kayonza District for one year. From this, he got an opportunity to facilitate primary teachers to use xo laptops for six months on the support of Rwanda Education Board via one laptop per child program. From September 2017 to August 2018, he worked as field facilitator in Digital Opportunity Trust, DOT RWANDA, to facilitate digital skills delivery in communities, boost technology use as tool in community lifestyles, facilitate formation of local clubs, mentor and coach local clubs leaders.

Aline TUYISHIME was born and raised in Rwanda, she is a graduate of the University of Rwanda, College of Science and Technology in biotechnology , class of 2017. She conducted her academic internship at Rwanda Agriculture and Livestock Development Board (RAB) where she learnt the challenges faced by African countries of low crop production, which contributes to the poverty of the continent. This motivated her to conducted a research of 13 months at RAB on "Response of Coffee Genotypes to Regeneration From Callus." Her research was about increasing the quality and quantity of coffee in limited time and in any season. Her research was chosen among 1,000 international researchers to be presented at the 5th international conference and 2nd Rwanda biotechnology conference. The abstract of her research can be found in the book of abstract of the conference. (http://sasascience.org/conference/2017-conference/) and her research has been accepted by Cambridge Scholar Publisher for publication. In addition she was a volunteer in World Vision Rwanda from 2015-2016 in charge of field facilitators and data entry. She is experienced in organizing different events, trainings , workshops and conferences and project management, which she acquired during her time serving as secretary of Rwanda Biotechnologist Student Network(RBSN) in 2016. She has been given many opportunities to attend different national and international conferences and workshop including the World Economic Forum in Rwanda. She believes that leadership is service and there is power in giving, to help people, to inspire and motivate them to reach their fullest potential.

Gisele UMUHIRE holds a bachelors degree in Environmental Management from Saint Lawrence University. She was born and raised in Rwanda until she moved to Uganda to pursue her studies at the university. Before joining CorpsAfrica, she worked as a data collector at the Center for Economics and Social Studies (C.E.S.S.) where she worked on diffrent surveys, including: Rwanda long-term savings scheme baseline survey, forest and ecosystem services baseline survey, urban sanitation study in Kigali, finiscope Rwanda survey, Feed the Future feedback population based survey, and the evaluation of UNHCR's implimentation of stategies for child protection, sexual gender based violence in refugee camps in Rwanda. She is also a specialist in meat processing (charcuterie). Gisele believes that being part of CorpsAfrica is an oppotunity for her to give back to society through making small changes that will make a big impact in rural communities. She is very concerned with protecting the environment for sustainable development.