Ishimwe - Hope for Generations

Ishimwe means ‘Give thanks to God’ in Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda. This adventure was founded in 2003 by Roger & Faith Shaw. Their first rescue home is located in Ruhengeri, Rwanda.

In 2006, the Shaws formed a US non-profit organization called the Ishimwe Center with a goal to provide real and lasting hope for a few of Rwanda's abandoned children by the provision of family homes.

They wanted to adopt orphans into family-style homes where they would feel as loved and secure as if they were natural born sons or daughters. Visitors expecting an orphanage are delighted to discover a large, normal-looking, happy, vibrant family, busy going about their daily business.

As the size of the family increased and as the older children became teenagers, the Shaws felt called to move to Rwanda to care for the children and expand the facility. They made the move in 2010.

The Ishimwe Center is a non-profit and none of the directors receive any payment for their services. Roger, having given up his job in Silicon Valley, formed a for-profit company in Bugesera, Rwanda called Lakeside Fish Farm.

Fish are in short supply in Rwanda and this is likely to be a very profitable business. Friends made this possible by buying shares. Lakeside's land slopes down towards beautiful Lake Mirayi.

Ishimwe Center is buying 3 hectares (7½ acres) from Lakeside Fish Farm. There are many benefits for the two organizations being next door to each other. They will be sharing infrastructure, security, and food.  Hundreds of hours of commuting will be eliminated. As the teenagers grow up, there will be a wide varitey of training, mentoring & work opportunities on the fish farm. 

The front porch has a beautiful view of the lake. This house was built by Lakeside and is now is complete and ready to handed over to Ishimwe. A standby generator is being used until the power company provides us a hook-up. The climate is such that no heating or cooling are ever required. Ishimwe will soon be ready to accept its first guests!

The surrounding villages are extremely poor. Very few locals have travelled, held a job or have an education. Electricity is arriving right now for the first time. It's an environment where the Ishimwe Center can have a powerful positive impact.

Locals will be welcome to come for training and entertainment at the community center or visit the clinic for medical assistance.

Lakeside is the only employer in the locality and locals are thrilled to have paying work. Ishimwe intends to take this service a step further by building a community center, clinic and model farm for the benefit of the local population. This video shows workers excavating a reservoir. You can tell by listening how much they appreciate the chance to work and earn money.