Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village is a non-profit focused on providing vulnerable and orphaned youth in Rwanda the necessary healing, education, and love to build lives of dignity and contribute to a better world.

From there, the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) was founded. In 2008, ASYV opened its gates to our first class of 125 students. A native of South Africa, Anne Heyman moved to the United States at age 15. As a teen she became active in Young Judaea, and she spent a year in Israel with the program (where she met her future husband).

Founded in response to the orphan crisis caused by the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Agahozo-Shalom is a place where "tears are dried" (from the Kinyarwanda word "agahozo") and where vulnerable youth can “live in peace” (from the Hebrew word "shalom").

Since we first opened our gates, the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) has provided over 1,900 orphaned and vulnerable youth with one of Rwanda’s best secondary educations, the …

Newsletter: An ASYV Kid Launches Rwanda's First Sign Language Club. Become an ASYV Fellow! Newsletter: How Our Kids Kicked Off a New School Year. 2023 Village Time Gala Photo Album. Then and Now: The Village at 15 — Read our latest Blog post. 2022-2023 Annual Report – Celebrating 15 Years of Possibility.

Together, we can provide our kids with all they need to thrive in 2025. asyv.org/donate. Link in bio. “The first time I touched a camera was here at ASYV,” says 2nd-year student Nyirakaneza Princes, explaining how it truly took a Village to help her …

Explore the inspiring journeys of ASYV alumni, from global internships to community empowerment projects. Connect, engage, and bring ASYV alumni to your community.

One sign features the ASYV logo; several huts erected under the shade of palm trees, a dwelling protected from the elements organically. The other sign displays a handshake held up by another pair of hands, superimposed over the island of Idjwi situated on Lake Kivu, which is cradled by Goma, Zaire, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Agahozo will take us into the world of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV), a school and home for Rwanda’s most vulnerable teens. ASYV students are selected through a national process, orphans chosen for their vulnerability who also show a spark of resilience.

We are focused on restoring hope and opportunity to kids affected by trauma in Rwanda. The model works because healing, care, family, and education are embedded in all aspects of the Village. As a member of a supportive, stable family unit, a student at ASYV has a sense of belonging and security.