November 11, 2020 Two children are in a wood canoe on a lake. There are more people unloading items from another boat in the background.

Facts About Rwanda: Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda is a stunning landlocked country found in East Africa. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda boasts towering volcanos like Mount Karisimbi, where mountain gorillas live. Learn some interesting facts about Rwanda and the 99,430 Compassion-assisted children who live there.

April 04, 2019 Christine stands with her arms behind her head, wearing an African-style dress and looking into the distance

25 Years After Genocide in Rwanda: 3 Astonishing Stories of Forgiveness

It’s been 25 years since the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. How does a country move forward from such trauma? Though the cruelty and pain of this tragic event are unimaginable, the Rwanda of today is unrecognizable from the horror of ’94. Read the moving stories of three Compassion alumni choosing radical forgiveness […]

February 02, 2012 Rwandan children in classroom

Ministry Highlight: Rwanda

We began our ministry in Rwanda in 1980 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2008, we started the Leadership Development Program, and the Child Survival Program followed in 2010.

September 09, 2009

Meet Compassion Rwanda’s Eugene Bahire

As birds sing morning songs to begin their days, Eugene Bahire, in charge of Tours and Visits at Compassion’s Rwanda office, starts his day with a morning prayer at 5:30 and prepares himself for work. He leaves home at 6:30 a.m. and takes 45 minutes to reach his office. After morning devotions with all Compassion […]

July 07, 2012 family standing outside home

Child Survival Program: A Mom’s Life in Rwanda

Clementine lives with her husband and four children in a small house made of mud in Kigali, Rwanda. When she was six months pregnant, she’d spend the day at the health center, volunteering to clean so she could take food home to her family.

April 04, 2014 group of smiling children

Healing Rwanda’s Hurting Children

20 years ago images of the Rwandan genocide horrified us. Today, there are new images to be seen in Rwanda.

April 04, 2009

Rwandan Genocide: Hope Lives

“I know there is a God because in Rwanda I shook hands with the devil.” – Major General Romeo Dallaire, Force Commander, United Nations Mission Assistance in Rwanda. But where evil is strong, hope is stronger. I’m an employee at Compassion. I work as an assistant for our International Program Communications Director. I love […]

April 04, 2012 a man showing a set of teeth to a child

A Compassion Alumnus Gives Back to His Community

We came to Rwanda with nothing and found that our family members in Rwanda had been killed during the genocide. Life was difficult because we were starting a new life in a new country with nothing — and we didn’t have hope for the future.

April 04, 2009

An Interview With Dr. Laurent Mbanda

As the Rwandan genocide unfolded 15 years ago, Dr. Laurent Mbanda followed the fighting lines of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) to help administer aid to those who needed it most. Mbanda is now Compassion’s Regional Vice President of the African region. 1. Where were you when the genocide started? I was not in […]

March 03, 2010

How Can Christian Child Sponsorship Influence a Country’s Politics?

The 1994 genocide destroyed Rwanda’s fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women and children, and eroded the country’s ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made significant progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy since then. Continued growth in this area depends on the maintenance of international aid levels, […]

May 05, 2008 children sitting at table writing letters

Dear Sponsor: A Letter From Rwanda

The following letter was written by Ruzamba Niyomwungeli, a 24-year-old graduate of our Child Sponsorship Program. It was written in Kinya rwanda and translated into English at the Compassion Rwanda country office. “Life has meaning when someone touches it at a tender age. Someone stood out and shaped my life. I believe in a […]

April 04, 2014 rwandan genocide survivor

Rwandan Genocide: Where Were God’s People?

At the time of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, Gary Haugen, a senior trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, was given an assignment to serve as the Officer in Charge of the U.N.’s genocide investigation in Rwanda.  He had seen a lot of injustice in the past, working to combat human rights abuses around […]

May 05, 2012 woman and girl standing outside home in Rwanda

A Heart Deeply Stirred

[…] of not turning out as we think it will. I’m not a missionary. I’m a social media “maven,” and that’s how I finally got to Africa. To Rwanda, specifically, on a Compassion tour. Since I’ve been back home, I’ve wanted to share my experiences, write profound blog posts, and stir the world to sponsor […]

July 07, 2013 palm tree with buildings behind it

But Then, We Had Compassion

It’s Sunday morning, and in the distance I hear the Rwandan Church, lifting its praises to God. Familiar music and smells and sights fill the air and my heart fills with gratitude. For the first time since my visit here four years ago, I am back in Rwanda. I’m staying at a small hotel […]

April 04, 2009

Rwandan Genocide: Where Was God?

[…] as 90 percent Christian, Christ-like behavior essentially vanished as children and babies were hacked apart with machetes. What happened to God? Where was He? In pre-colonial times, Rwanda’s three ethnic groups established a system of exchanged labor, which was exploited by the Belgian colonial administration. When Rwanda gained independence in 1962, the colonial legacy […]

December 12, 2008

Nativity Set Giveway

Yesterday, we introduced you to Chantal, a 9-year-old girl from Rwanda. Chantal is a beneficiary of our Highly Vulnerable Children (HVC) initiative, and during the Christmas season the vulnerability of these children parallels the extreme vulnerability that our God entered into on Christmas Day. It’s a vulnerability portrayed in homes throughout the world by […]

October 10, 2021

From Hunger to Hope: A Brave Girl Named Norah

Norah’s mother, a hairdresser, and her father, a soldier in the Rwandan army, worked hard to provide for their daughter. But when war and genocide tore through Rwanda in 1994, it also ripped a hole straight through Norah’s heart.

December 12, 2012 A graphic for World Aids Day

World AIDS Day 2012: Red Hearts and Red Ribbons

[…] for another child to sponsor. But then I saw two things next to her picture on the website: a red heart and a red ribbon. Josiane, from Rwanda, had been waiting for a sponsor for over six months. The red ribbon showed that Josiane lived in an AIDS-affected area. Online, as I added Josiane’s […]

August 08, 2011 four male graduates posing for camera with awards

How do Our Programs Help the Poor Begin and Finish Well?

[…] allow you to begin well. Our Child Survival Program and Leadership Development Program* help children living in extreme poverty to begin and finish well. The Beginning – Rwanda Recently, 35 mothers and their babies, and a group of church partners, pastors, representatives from other child development organizations, government officials from throughout East Africa, and ministry staff in […]

March 03, 2021

10 Talented Young Entrepreneurs Who Dreamed Beyond Poverty

[…] of leaders. Check out these incredible stories of talented young entrepreneurs! Faida, Guitar Teacher Compassion alumnus Faida, 28, discovered his musical talent at a Compassion center in Rwanda at only 10 years old. He never missed a lesson. After graduating from university with a degree in civil engineering and purchasing his own guitar, he […]

April 04, 2009

Beauty From Ashes

[…] is something I have heard of. Something I have learned about. But for so many it is a memory, an experience. Some of those people live in Rwanda and have come intimately close to witnessing pure hatred. My lack of knowledge took a back seat in college when I truly began to discover so […]

June 06, 2021 Christian is wearing a navy blue shirt with gray stripes down the center. He is outside his aunt's home with his Aunt Pascasie, and his cousins, Cynthia and Mugisha. They have their arms around each other.

How a Compassion Blog Story Helped Reunite This Rwandan Family

[…] call told me they were my uncle from my father’s side of the family.” Family Lost Through Genocide Christian is a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda against the Tutsi. In 2019, Compassion Canada shared his story on their blog to mark the 25th anniversary of the genocide. Back then, Christian shared that […]

May 05, 2009

In the Void of Poverty

[…] void that Africa left. Someone once said, “Once you get the dust of Africa on your feet, it will never leave you.” Every day further away from Rwanda, the more I ache to be there. It’s been six weeks since my return from Africa, yet some moments, I feel as if I just stepped […]

October 10, 2011 children smiling for a photograph

Planning for the Unforeseeable Future

[…] about additional life insurance. But the class talked about the possibility of giving to the church through life insurance. As a sponsor of two girls, Kayirangwa in Rwanda and Litzy in Ecuador, that class made me think: What happens to sponsored children when the sponsor passes? Do they go back on the waiting list? Kayirangwa […]

March 03, 2020 A girl laughs, face in her hands.

Period Poverty: My REAL Most Embarrassing Moment

[…] I wanted to leave school and not come back. Still Embarrassed After All These Years? Flash forward to menopausal me on my first Compassion employee trip to Rwanda. Me and a team of all men. Day two of our trip and I unexpectedly started my period. UGH! As a grown woman, you’d think I […]

April 04, 2021 A laughing girl child wearing a brown shirt with white lace and collar stands outside in the middle of a street holding a present wrapped in shiny red wrapping paper. Behind her is blue sky and trees.

Children’s Birthdays Are a Big Deal — and Not Just for Kids

[…] celebrate with our daughters. God is good. He never abandons us.” Ashley is sponsored by Rylee, who lives in California. 4. Martha, mother of 8-year-old Frank in Rwanda “We have received so many gifts from Frank’s sponsor. Before, my husband and I didn’t know the importance of celebrating our children’s birthdays, and we didn’t […]

March 03, 2012

Small Things that Matter to Children

[…] and read a comment made by the center director at that time. It said: “Moses stays with his paternal uncle. His mother died. His father went to Rwanda in 1994 and left him at his uncle’s place because he was registered with Compassion and never wanted to miss the opportunity. Follow up should be […]

April 04, 2013 Finding Forgiveness After the Rwandan Genocide

Finding Forgiveness After the Rwandan Genocide

Methode was 6 years old when he witnessed the 1994 Rwandan genocide, a systematic massacre of more than 1 million people of the Tutsi ethnic group. The killers were the Hutu militia, in a tragedy culminating from longstanding tensions. The genocide started in early April and lasted 100 days. Being of Tutsi ethnicity, Methode’s […]

December 12, 2017 Top 10 Compassion Instagram Posts of 2017

Top 10 Compassion Instagram Posts of 2017

[…] Instagram posts of 2017! 10. January 23: The Greatest Gift We believe in #miracles. Do you? Two years ago, Geraldine, a mother and health worker in # Rwanda was approached by a man that found a #baby in a bush covered by ants. When Geraldine approached the baby, she got the chills. The baby […]

April 04, 2021 A farmer stands in fields in the early morning in Indonesia

17 Gorgeous Photos of Gardens Around the World

[…] with a hoe. Thailand Chonnipa, 13, helps her family harvest strawberries in northern Thailand. Guatemala Enoc, 14, checks on the income-generating tomato garden at his Compassion center. Rwanda Ruth, 21, does her daily chore of watering the plants behind her family’s home. Mexico Mayra, 13, uses a recycled container to water the vegetable gardens […]

September 09, 2016 10 Curious Questions to Ask the Child You Sponsor

7 Curious Questions for the Child You Sponsor

[…] until the food is ready and we put it in the dish and we put it on the table and then we eat them. – Esperance, 13, Rwanda 3. What is one of your New Year’s resolutions? Creating News Year’s resolutions isn’t necessarily a custom in every country. Why not take the time to […]

June 06, 2012 woman with arms raised

Who Are the Women of Worship?

[…] globe. Despite unfamiliar languages, we feel oneness of heart. And in that room of American women and foreign voices, my heart is transported to a group of Rwandan women. Red dust covers my sandals. We sit in a circle on the ground of a small school room. Before I barely situate, three toddlers vie […]

May 05, 2012

Touch Them with Your Heart

[…] was processing, not just another assignment to be finished and submitted. It was a photo of a child, a real child somewhere in the rural area of Rwanda. This was a child needing to be loved, to be cared for, to be touched and blessed. I paused for a moment and prayed for the […]

September 09, 2021 Man carrying a young boy on his shoulders

Watch: A Compassion Storyteller’s 4 Favorite Videos

[…] that may be distressing to some viewers. “I’ll never forget the three-hour interview that I did with Methode Ruzimbana in 2016. Methode is a Compassion alumnus from Rwanda. His story of survival, loss, heartbreak, anger and ultimately, forgiveness, is a testament to the incredible healing power of God’s love.”  Sponsor a child Compassion Alumni […]

October 10, 2013 Picture of Compassion water of life water bottles

How to Share the Importance of Clean Water With Children

[…] and cleaning. This water had to be collected and brought to the house, but at least it was safe for drinking. We then took a trip to Rwanda and watched Fiona collect water that was not safe for drinking, and then ran it through Compassion’s Water of Life filter. The water that came out […]

October 10, 2020 An adolescent woman in a white and black striped shirt smiles and crosses her arms while standing in front of a wooden fence

Are These the Most Inspirational Teen Girls in the World?

[…] grow up, I want to be a medical doctor to help children who are sick and wounded. Read Rihanata’s inspirational story on Compassion Australia’s blog. Yvette, 19, Rwanda: “I’m inspired to provide solutions for people with disabilities.” Growing up, I always wanted to become a doctor. My extreme fear of seeing blood or wounds […]

August 08, 2013 Rwandan countryside

The Long African Walk

I ask our Compassion Rwanda host, Eugene, as he drops us off at the end of the rock-strewn road, “How long is the walk?” With a sheepish smile, he assures me it’s just a little walk. “Do you mean a little African walk or a little American walk?” He tells me, “African.” Oh, dear. […]

April 04, 2020 Dr. Addisalem Gebresilassie wearing scrubs and surgical mask

From Sponsored Children to Health Care Heroes!

[…] be where I am now. Without Compassion, I wouldn’t be a doctor, not even an epidemiologist,” says Ingrid. “I owe too much to Compassion.” Pharmacist Jeannette in Rwanda Jeannette Nikuze in Rwanda is also a graduate of Compassion’s program. Now she works as a pharmacist, supplying her community with medicines and masks during this […]

December 12, 2011 young twin girls with birthday cake

A New Take on a Lifetime of Birthdays

[…] were usually somewhat frivolous things; there was nothing I absolutely needed. While I didn’t expect the same would be true for Kayirangwa, the child I sponsor in Rwanda, given her circumstances, I still expected that the birthday money I designated for her would go toward one or two small “just for fun” items. A […]

December 12, 2008 smiling girl in colorful dress

Highly Vulnerable Children: What Special Needs Do They Have?

[…] and an appropriate response given. So far more than 10,000 children have been supported through the HVC initiative in East Africa alone. Chantal, a 9-year-old girl from Rwanda, was one of the first recipients of the HVC program. When she was selected as a beneficiary of the first Compassion cottage in Rwanda in March […]

March 03, 2020 A young woman in an orange shirt smiles.

Rwandan Teen Invents Prize-Winning Digital Cane for the Blind

Sponsored girl Yvette Mukamwiza from Rwanda is making headlines after winning a national innovation competition on Oct. 3, 2019, for designing a digital cane for the blind. Using a sensor, the “Digital Blind Stick” alerts users of obstacles. Along with her teammates Adrien Biziyaremye and Mathias Kanyandwi, Yvette won the top prize at Rwanda’s […]

December 12, 2019 A boy wearing a Santa cap lays on the ground with his face resting in his hands, smiling.

25 Reasons to Praise God This Christmas

[…] of the year! These feel-good stories will make you smile, praise God and shout, “Amen!” Jump to: Africa: Burkina Faso | Ethiopia | Ghana | Kenya | Rwanda | Tanzania | Togo | Uganda Asia: Bangladesh | Indonesia | Philippines | Thailand | Sri Lanka  Central America and the Caribbean:  Dominican Republic | El […]

August 08, 2011

That Letter You Need to Write

[…] WHY at this point. That response might come in a week or so. But it almost did not matter. The precious girl whom I had hugged in Rwanda last October was dead. Her mother and father had lost her, and she was only 11. After five minutes of conversation, I hung up, and I […]

April 04, 2009

Rwandan Genocide: 15 Years Later

[…] looked at the gruesome pictures, God did a major work on my heart. My focus suddenly shifted from myself to those living through the nightmare happening in Rwanda. I was at once both distraught about what was happening in Rwanda and heartbroken for my own self-centered worldview. My world – my concerns, my interests, […]

November 11, 2012 group of children praying

Chosen Before We Were Born

[…] be with you and keep you safe, so don’t be afraid.” —Jeremiah 1:4–8, CEV Prayer: God, we pray for Child Survival Pprogram babies and pregnant mothers in Rwanda and around the world. Please reveal your noble plans for their lives. Let them focus on you alone and discover your love. In the name of […]

October 10, 2012

Citizens of the Kingdom of God

[…] families, and communities released from spiritual and physical poverty in His name. God further revealed the reality of this to me when I spent some time in Rwanda last year. During a discussion with some friends I’d made there, I was struck by how much I loved these brothers and sisters, with whom I […]

November 11, 2017 Why Compassion International Doesn't Work in Unstable Conflict Zones

Why Compassion Doesn’t Work in Unstable Conflict Zones

[…] peace. However, three countries where we currently work – Mexico, Colombia and Ethiopia – are labeled as having a “low” state of peace. In 1994, the Compassion Rwanda office temporarily closed during the civil war and genocide. It reopened again to initiate relief efforts and help more than 140,000 “unattended for” children across the […]

September 09, 2012 Family of 3 generations in Rwanda happily sitting around their parents outside their home

The Virtue of Integrity

[…] to know your Word so that we can be light and salt, bringing true integrity to our lives, families, and workplaces. Amen. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pascasie Uwimana works as a Senior Accountant for Compassion Rwanda. Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.   group of smiling women honoring an elderly couple one in spirit banner

December 12, 2016 Top 10 Instagram Posts of 2016

Top 10 Instagram Posts of 2016

[…] International’s top Instagram posts of 2016. 10. April 14: Feelin’ Good   This little guy is feelin’ good! He is part of our Child Sponsorship Program in # Rwanda. At this center, nearly 300 children receive help with school fees, health insurance and skills training. He will grow up equipped to take care of himself, […]

January 01, 2017 Who Is Making History in the World of Poverty?

Who Is Making History in the World of Poverty?

[…] history was made. In the span of several days, more than 7,000 kids were sponsored. That number is staggering. Every child waiting for a sponsor in Tanzania, Rwanda, El Salvador and Indonesia were sponsored. What a humbling experience to partner together with these world changers! // m a k e h i s t […]

March 03, 2022 Boy sitting on a rock at the beach and is holding a cross.

About Easter

[…] morning and march with homemade torches, singing songs about Jesus and his resurrection. They color and paint eggs and read the Bible story of Easter together. In Rwanda, children act out the Easter drama at church with a play about the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection. They also eat […]

June 06, 2012 three smiling children

Three Things African Children Have Taught Me

[…] June 16, I want to celebrate African children and three life-changing things that they’ve taught me. They taught me joy. I first encountered African children in Kigali, Rwanda. There, day in and day out for six weeks, I played with orphans and abandoned children. They were some of the 59 million orphans across Africa.  […]

November 11, 2021

The Moment When 2 Sponsors Saw “Behind the Scenes”

[…] like I got the front-row seat of watching her grow,” Bonnie says. They learned that Norah’s father had died in the 1994 genocide across the border in Rwanda. But Norah didn’t share many details about it, and Bonnie didn’t know if or how she should bring it up in letters. So she and Jeff […]

June 06, 2016 What Does an Orphan Desire the Most?

What Does an Orphan Desire the Most?

[…] changed the course of Mutabazi’s life and that of his three elder siblings. In a deep, somber tone, Mutabazi narrated his early experiences as an orphan in Rwanda. “We moved from home to home. We first landed in an orphanage and then went in different directions. Since I was the youngest, I ended up […]

October 10, 2021 Maria Rita is wearing a red shirt and jeans. She is holding a red ribbon in each hand is jumping in the air. Her town is in the background.

Why Periods Are No Longer a Red Light

[…] activities — it impacts their educations as well. According to ActionAid, about 50 percent of school-age girls in Kenya do not have access to menstrual products. In Rwanda, many girls miss up to 50 days of school or work every year because of period poverty and stigma. “It’s hard for some girls to buy […]

January 01, 2015 Talking About Africa Top Blogs 2015

A Short Guide to Talking About Africa

[…] only a single story. Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie gave an insightful TED Talk about how a single story can lead to cultural misunderstanding. 4. Take a trip. I’ve visited Rwanda and Kenya and loved them both. One of my life-long goals is to return to Kenya with my husband. I would also love to visit Egypt, […]

February 02, 2021 A group of children and youth smile outside in Rwanda

A Glimpse Into the Life of a Compassion Trip Leader

[…] and remind you that you are not alone. What patterns of discipline can you build into your life to get closer to God?  Compassion Trips and Visits Compassion Country Recipes An Amazing Meeting Sponsor a child in Kenya A girl in Kenya sits in a church pew praying. Kenyan girl praying Children in Rwanda smiling

December 12, 2014 christmas around the world twin angels

Christmas Around The World

[…] as we remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Enjoy these beautiful photos from our friends celebrating Christmas around the world! Ecuador Indonesia Honduras Ethiopia Ghana India* Philippines Rwanda Colombia *NOTE FROM EDITOR: This content honors Compassion’s historical work in India. While we no longer have an India sponsorship program, we are grateful for the […]

November 11, 2020 Farida is wearing an orange and white dress. Beatrice, wearing a red and yellow dress, is holding Farida in front of a mural inside the Compassion center.

How We’re Supporting Children Who May Wait Years for a Vaccine

[…] United Nations and World Bank.  More than 60% of Compassion children — and their entire families — live on $3.20 or less per day. In countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, more than 90% live on that same amount or less each day.  Hunger related to the virus has already led to the deaths […]

August 08, 2014 Ebola Outbreak Compassion

Ebola Outbreak in Africa: Our Response

[…] as they are approximately 1,283 kilometers from Liberia, which is about 800 miles away,” said Katy Causey, Compassion Africa Communication Specialist. “Compassion’s East Africa countries – Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia – are much farther away. For instance, the distance between Liberia, where many Ebola cases have been reported, and Kenya is about 7,434 […]

March 03, 2012 red bucket in sink

The Luxury of Water and Hair Washing

For six weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, I showered with a bucket. And a small jug of clean water. I joked with friends back home that for six weeks, it looked like I never washed my hair. Trying to juggle the red bucket and the jug meant I never could save enough water to properly […]

September 09, 2021 A mother in Ethiopia feeds her 4-year-old son

COVID-19 Has Created a Crisis of Hunger

[…] supply of food to support their residents.  Children and youth in many areas Compassion serves are among those at greatest risk. Per Compassion estimates, in nations across the world such as Rwanda, Togo and Haiti, an overwhelming majority of beneficiaries registered in recent years — and their entire households — are already living on $3.20 per day or less.  For […]

March 03, 2012 two young smiling girls

Unbridled Joy

[…] my daughter giggle when I kiss her, watching a child in the Dominican Republic sing, nay, shout, to the Lord with all her heart, watching boys in Rwanda scream with glee as they play in a river hints to me of just one tiny tip of why Jesus says we ought to be more […]

September 09, 2020 A woman, a girl and a boy sit at a long, narrow desk outdoors. The woman and girl are looking over papers, schoolwork. The boy is concentrating on his papers, homework.

Kids in Poverty Adapt to the Strange New World of School at Home

[…] school when I was in eighth grade, I cannot do a lot for him. But if he asks me a question and I know, I answer.” Libradge, Rwanda Libradge and her mother walked the 3 miles to school earlier this year. Libradge barely slept the night before her first day of school in January. […]

June 06, 2020 A girl holds a mask in front of her face.

A COVID-19 Update From Compassion’s Three Regions

[…] The World Health Organization estimates that there have been over 118,000 positive cases in the African continent since February. Some of our countries, like Burkina Faso and Rwanda, are showing a steady decline in cases. This means some of our National Offices are starting to be able to open up and allow more staff […]

April 04, 2013 Two children walking on a dirt path.

I Have Malaria (or Thought I Did)

[…] However, we are doing all we can to fight malaria on behalf of our beneficiaries. Recently, we conducted a study of the effectiveness of our Complementary Interventions in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. We found that in these four countries, 99 percent of Compassion beneficiaries sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs). In Uganda, UNICEF reports, 47 […]

May 05, 2020 Smiling Livingstone standing in an alley in front of his family

How Your Sponsorship Is Key During a Health Crisis

[…] the global Church. Sponsors, donors and local church workers form a safety net that stretches across borders to protect the world’s most vulnerable children. Fabiola’s family in Rwanda escaped domestic violence and received trauma counseling and spiritual support through sponsorship and the church. Fabiola’s family is an example of this. Her mother experienced domestic […]

February 02, 2012 fiber mat

Love and the Fiber Mat

[…] You give us through Compassion to show Your love to children. May our lives be a true reflection of Your love for the poor, in Jesus’ name. Amen. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Muliisa is a Complementary Interventions administrator for our Rwanda office. Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.  fiber mat one in spirit banner

April 04, 2020 Rwandan Mandazi on a table with coffee

6 Easy International Recipes to Try While at Home

[…] with cheese, beans and/or meat and then grilled or fried. They are relatively easy to make, but will feel like a special international treat! Get the Recipe Rwandan Mandazi Call them African doughnuts or call them mandazi (mon-DAH-zee) — they’re scrumptious! Typically not as sweet as American doughnuts, they are usually unglazed and have […]

September 09, 2011 Five colored letter templates

An Improved Way to Write Your Sponsored Child

[…] and for girls, and for the youngest child to the teenager or young adult in the final years of sponsorship. When writing to our 17-year-old Kazihizina in Rwanda, I chose a pale blue-green template featuring flowers and a dragonfly. I planned to share some information about a recent home-school project about raising Monarch caterpillars and […]

August 08, 2011 drawing depicting a girl daydreaming

Do Dreams Really Come True?

Do dreams come true? Yes. Not by wishing on a star. But through the actions of committed Christians who are willing to live out their faith in practical ways.

February 02, 2020 A man in a yellow shirt smiles at the camera.

How One Remarkable Mailman Encourages Sponsors on His Route

[…] and Oswald. They dragged Oswald outside and threatened to kill him unless he’d help them. They had to flee the country for their lives. Making home in Rwanda, they formed a band, The Sowers Group, and made a living as traveling musicians. Later moving to Uganda and then Tanzania, the group found international acclaim, […]

August 08, 2011 dry field in Kenya

Drought in Africa: Where is Compassion?

[…] let me explain how this crisis is affecting our programs. Our child development centers operate in five countries near the areas affected by the drought: Kenya Ethiopia Rwanda Tanzania Uganda We do not work in Somalia, the hardest-hit country. But where we do work, our local church partners are seeing higher food prices due […]

June 06, 2008

The Case for Compassion Togo

[…] case, children seem to be the most negatively affected by these trends. TOMORROW: The State of the Children The famous and multi-talented Phoebe Rogers lives in Kigali, Rwanda. She is the regional trainer for Africa, wrote these Togo posts, took the photos and has the longest title know to humankind. It’s something like: Africa […]

November 11, 2019 A group of children in Honduras smile for the camera.

3 Ways the World Has Changed for Children in 30 Years

[…] we serve. Youths in the program receive opportunities such as tutoring, discipleship, vocational training and education. They explore and cultivate their natural skills and passions. Fils in Rwanda lost his parents at a young age. In his teen years, the stress of needing to care for both his siblings and his aging grandparents started […]

December 12, 2012 Wess Stafford

Acknowledge Him in all Your Ways

[…] make your paths straight. (NASB) Acknowledging the Lord with all of his heart is exactly what Wess Stafford did as he faced things like a genocide in Rwanda and a murderer in Ecuador. These moments, and many others, are woven into the fabric of our ministry history and will continue to guide us into […]

October 10, 2019 Three children run in a field wearing traditional Peruvian clothing.

How Jesus Is Shaping My Perspective on Being a Good Neighbor

Compassion President Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado shares how Jesus’ teachings on being a good neighbor can transform how we all serve as Christ followers.

April 04, 2008

Why Me, God?

[…] some of the things that continually reaffirm the rightness of Compassion in my life, and as a real ministry in this world. Letters. From Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya, I get letters from my girls, thanking me for gifts or just for loving them, telling me what they’re learning and that they and […]

September 09, 2019 A boy wearing a red Santa cap holds out a small nativity set.

4 Reasons This Could Be the Best Christmas Ever

[…] this could be the best Christmas ever for children around the world. Reason 1: A child might get his first present ever. Bonheur is a 5-year-old from Rwanda who received his very first Christmas present last year! A local church opened a child development center in his community in October, and in December, Bonheur […]

March 03, 2011

Representing the Cheetah Generation

As a proud sponsor of Josiane from Rwanda and Emmanuel from Uganda, I’m comforted knowing they are in loving and capable hands. The well-being of Josiane, Emmanuel and your sponsored child is front and center in the minds of the local church staff and our country staff. The man leading these staff members in […]

December 12, 2012

A Ministry that Makes God Smile

[…] us find out what pleases you most in our daily activities, and give us the strength to do it. Amen! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Esperance Kandera works as a Senior Sponsor and Donor Services Associate for Compassion Rwanda. Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.   group of children waving Philippians chapter 2 verse 2 banner

February 02, 2011 man carrying burlap sacks on shoulders next to stack of bags

Life in Mwanza, Tanzania — on the Shore of Lake Victoria

[…] branch of the central railway line from Dar es Salaam. Its geographic location makes it an important transit point for business, people and travellers from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the outlying towns of Bukoba, Musoma and Shinyanga. Mwanza City is characterised by gently undulating granites and granodiorite physiography with isolated hill masses and […]

December 12, 2012 baby in white clothing

Holding Joy

[…] rich dark skin was perfect. Her smile made me forget all my worries. If I concentrate hard enough, I still hear her infectious laugh invade my senses. Rwandan baby girl enrolled in our Child Survival Program This little Rwandan child, only 3 years old, changed me profoundly. Her name was Arianne. There is one […]

November 11, 2020 Grace outside her home in Uganda

This Is How Grace Lives Without Limits

[…] limbs, but she chooses to live without limits. “My motto is that disability is not inability. With God, all things are possible,” shared Grace. In the rural Rwandan community where she was born, there were some who saw Grace’s disability as a curse. Family members even pressured her parents to kill her. “When I […]

November 11, 2012 A person in silhouette

Living with HIV: Janvier’s Story

Janvier is a tall, dark and handsome 15-year-old who dreams of becoming an international football player. He lives in Rwanda, a small but densely-populated country in central Africa. “I did not know I was sick. Mum used to give me drugs and tell me to take them in order to be healed of my […]

September 09, 2018 This Is What Happens When Child Sponsorship Equips Pastors

This Is What Happens When Child Sponsorship Equips Pastors

[…] and equal status for the different people in the community.” — Pastor Deeporwa | Baan Mae Sa Rit Church | Northern Region, Thailand These young women in Rwanda now have dignity and safety when using the new toilets built at their church. 3. Disaster Relief “Our greatest joy has been receiving support in the […]

January 01, 2011 Maasai women in traditional dress

Life in Arusha, Tanzania — Land of the Maasai

[…] gateway to the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, where visitors marvel at the great wildebeest migration. The presence of the United Nations’ International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, East African Community Headquarters, East and Southern African Management Institute, East, Central and Southern African Health Secretariat, African Court of Appeal, International Postal Union, and the […]

June 06, 2021 A girl in Thailand stands under an umbrella in the rain

Suffering in Silence: The Menstruation Taboo

[…] blog in May 2018 after appearing on the Compassion UK Blog. Girl in pink dress A teenage girl in a pink dress Girls at school Two girls in school Girl in blue A teenage girl holds a medical kit Girls at a bathroom facility Girls in Rwanda gather around a sink to wash their hands

March 03, 2008

10 Questions With Emily Kagiri (Part II)

[…] which have high child mortality rates. As I look into the 2006 international statistics on infant mortality, the countries I would hope to see us in are Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Togo* and Tanzania. However, it is very important for us to have reports on infant mortality in all the countries where we work. This […]

February 02, 2018 This Remarkable Community Is Now 100,000 People Strong

This Remarkable Community Is Now 100,000 People Strong

[…] Becky, Betty and Happy have got rhythm and we can’t help but smile! Such a cute video from @jordanfoxworthy that shows her heart for kids in # Rwanda. Seeing Instagram filled with your photos and videos of young lives being transformed pushes us forward every day! #Compassion100Kfollowers #feelingthelove #valentinesday #happydance A post shared by […]

December 12, 2008

A Chance to Survive

[…] lately I’ve been thinking about what my life would be like if I were born into poverty in a developing country. What if I was from rural Rwanda? Or a slum in the Philippines? Or a poor community in Nicaragua? I’d more than likely be totally crippled by now. At 30 years old. This […]

October 10, 2010

Grace Stops Violence and Heals the Wounds of History

[…] desperate history. Many other countries sing the song of their homeland in the painstaking melody of a minor key. Think of places where Compassion works – places like Rwanda and Colombia. The people of those nations recount stories with tears and heartache. Many resort to a cycle of violence that binds their communities like a […]

August 08, 2010 woman teaching young children in classroom

How Do We Teach the Children in Our Programs?

[…] The variations of the curriculum range widely from country to country. Some use the standards as they are and some have made major changes. For example, in Rwanda, due to the past internal conflicts, there is an emphasis on teaching forgiveness. “As long as there is balance within the curriculum, the countries have freedom […]

November 11, 2017 This Is What Happens When You Give Livestock to Families in Poverty

This Is What Happens When You Give Livestock to Families in Poverty

[…] harvest at home,” Phamela says, “but now I’m eating chicken too, and I like that.” Give a Chicken startup to a family! › A Christmas Cow In Rwanda, a cow is a sign of wealth. It is a source of money, food and, for many, respect. And for 50 families in rural Rwandan villages, […]

July 07, 2016 What Children Really Want to Hear From Their Sponsors

What Children Really Want to Hear From Their Sponsors

[…] to share from a trusted source what children really want to hear from their sponsors. Our trusted source? The joyful students enrolled in our Child Sponsorship Program in Rwanda. When asked, “What do you like to hear from your sponsor?” the children were filled with glee as they shared about the letters they receive. Cyprien […]

June 06, 2019 How to Raise Brave Kids in a World Keeping Them Afraid

How to Raise Brave Kids in a World Keeping Them Afraid

[…] and brave as they interact with those things when you aren’t around. 2. Tell them who they are. Jean and his father sitting outside their home in Rwanda talking. I am a big believer that one of the primary jobs of parenting is to tell our kids who they are. This doesn’t mean what […]

June 06, 2010 How Long Does My Sponsorship Last?

How Long Does My Child Sponsorship Last?

[…] unified evaluation criteria so that every child receives the same opportunities. In some instances, age can prevent a child from completing a goal. For example, a young Rwandan woman, age 21, decides she would like to learn how to be a seamstress. The center she attends has a vocational course that teaches this skill, but […]

December 12, 2008

Healing Prayer

[…] is waiting for a kidney transplant Jacob and Asish in East India, as they are suffering from malaria Miguel in Nicaragua, who has rheumatic fever Mukankusi in Rwanda, living with diabetes If you leave your prayers as comments to this post, our country staff will be much encouraged. We’ll make sure they’re aware of […]

July 07, 2012

Tomorrow Is Where Your Future Is

[…] ashes. —Isaiah 61:3, NIV Prayer: God, our prayer today is that we give You opportunities to surprise and amaze us. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pauline Munganyinka works as a Sponsor and Donor Services Associate for Compassion Rwanda. Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.    woman and child walking away Philippians chapter 2 verse 2 banner

February 02, 2017 The Passionate Heart of a Volunteer

The Passionate Heart of a Volunteer

[…] family in Texas and a family in the Philippines. Almost a year later, Amy felt a tug on her heart to sponsor a little girl named Alice in Rwanda. Another year passed and the Cozad’s sponsored little Andrew in Tanzania. John, Amy and their three daughters (Claire, Taylor and Eadie) were sponsoring three children when […]

February 02, 2022 Girl wearing a pink shirt. She is inside her home and is praying. She has her hands folded in front of her chest.

About Prayer

[…] a red and blue dress. She is sitting at a table inside her home with her foster sister. They are praying before they eat. Blessing food in Rwanda. Boy wearing a bright green dress with a black stripe across the front. He is sitting in a church pew and is holding a Bible. Reading […]

June 06, 2012 close up of two small boys

Humble Listening

[…] of a young boy. — 2 Kings 5:13–14, NIV Prayer: Lord, give us humble hearts to listen to your voice through any channel, according to your will. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Samuel Rugambage is the Country Director of Compassion Rwanda. Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.    two young boys One in Spirit devotional banner