THEIR PAST

The Imbabazi Orphanage was established to care for children lost or orphaned by the Rwanda genocide of 1994. Since its inception, the Imbabazi has cared for more than 400 children, many of whom have been reunited with family members located by various relief agencies still working throughout Rwanda. Others have grown up and moved on to lead successful and meaningful lives.

Most of these children have seen their families killed, or watched their parents die in squalid refugee camps. Many have no memories of their families or what towns they are from. They are from both ethnic groups – Hutu and Tutsi. Yet, all the children receive an equal amount of love and care, with no ethnic distinctions or barriers. In fact, the words “Hutu” and “Tutsi” are never spoken at the Imbabazi.

The children are very much a family. Their courage, and their love for one another, is truly a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

THEIR PRESENT

The Imbabazi is currently home to 110 children. We have one child of pre-school age, 54 children in elementary school, 10 in vocational schools, 41 in secondary school, and three in university.

Scholarship Awarded to Claudia

Ingabira Claudia arrived at the Imbabazi in July of 1996. She is now twenty years old and is in her fourth year of secondary school. Claudia is a quiet, thoughtful child and is loved by all the children. She is always one of the first to volunteer when something needs to be done.
She is a hard worker and this past trimester she finished first in her class. She is this year’s winner of the Tupper Lake Rotary Club Scholarship Award. Congratulations, Claudia!