On May 7, 2025, we celebrate our first anniversary.
Just one year ago, Nation Voice Foundation began with a spark — a simple yet powerful desire to uplift communities, amplify unheard voices, and bring people together through education, outreach, and purpose. It started as a personal mission. Today, it has become a global movement.
Our journey officially began in Rwanda in August 2024. We didn’t arrive with big promises. Instead, we came with open minds and hearts, ready to listen. Sitting across from local leaders, NGOs, and UN representatives, we asked questions — not to reply, but to understand. That first trip changed everything. Rwanda became our foundation’s first chapter, the land where vision turned into action. It remains at the heart of our work.
In December 2024, we reached another milestone — our first official event in the United States. Held on Human Rights Day, the gathering brought together UN officers, human rights advocates, the press, and community partners. It wasn’t just an event. It was a statement: that dialogue, dignity, and justice are worth gathering for. That communities — when united — can move mountains.
One of the moments we hold dearest from this year was welcoming celebrated author and survivor Evelyne Mukasonga as the Nation Voice Foundation’s first official Ambassador. Her voice — shaped by deep pain and even deeper resilience — reminded us why our mission matters. Her presence is a living call for memory, truth, and healing.
We also saw how a dream can grow when given space and support. In partnership with Rwandan student leader Emery Patrice Ishimo (Kodi), we helped bring to life the Planet Vanguard Club — a student-led environmental initiative that is now shaping green action and community responsibility in Kigali. What began as one young man’s dream is now inspiring dozens of others to lead with courage, conscience, and care for the Earth.
Back in the U.S., our connections grew quickly. This year, we proudly partnered with Yale University, UConn, Manhattanville College, and Lehman College. These partnerships are more than academic — they are bridges. Through them, we are building opportunities for students to exchange ideas, immerse in fieldwork, and contribute meaningfully to global education.
In Musanze, Rwanda, we launched our first school development project: a Computer Lab at Kibumwe School. This was more than machines and desks — it was about giving students access to the future. For many, it’s the first time they’ve touched a keyboard, the first time they’ve imagined themselves working in tech, education, or beyond.
Now, we look to what’s next. In January 2026, we will lead our first Humanitarian Research Expedition to Rwanda. Ten students and purpose-driven individuals from across the U.S. will travel with us to take part in hands-on community engagement and research. It’s not tourism. It’s participation. It’s presence. It’s learning from life itself.
This year, we also took our mission to one of the world’s most influential stages — the United Nations. At the UN Forum on People of African Descent, we joined powerful conversations about reconciliation, youth leadership, and global cooperation. We brought our stories to the table — and we were heard.
As we reflect on this year, we do so with gratitude. None of it would be possible without the donors who believed, the students who dared, the leaders who guided, and the communities who opened their doors. You are this story.
And this — this is just the beginning.
