Agahozo Shalom houses over 100 survivors to the Rwanda genocide in 1994. Agahozo means “a place where tears are dried” in Rwandan and shalom means “peace” in Hebrew. Originally this concept was used in Israel to shelter thousands of orphaned children who survived the holocaust. This residential high school started in Rwanda thanks to an American woman who is the mother of three children of her own. She raised $12,000,000 to start Agahozo Shalom and raised this large sum of money in only two years. The goal of this high school is to prepare these survivors for the world outside Agahozo Shalom. They supply the students with therapy and an education that will prepare 500 of them to continue on to a higher education to. They are taught the importance of serving their community and helping others. Teaching the next generation that peace is the way and that helping the people around you is of the upmost importance. If the mindset of the upcoming generation changes, and the prejudice towards their neighbors is turned into love the world will be a better place. Although this school is just one small step to mend the minds and hearts of survivors it is a major step for each of these student’s lives. The provided education and safety for these children will allow them to reach their dreams which looked like a dim future for them during the genocide. This school creates opportunities for these children that otherwise would not be available for them.
This is a picture of two students at The Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/shalom-in-rwanda/5ed43ff3bcf95a6b06c05ed43ff3bcf95a6b06c0-890964934953?q=US+news+report+on++genocide+in+rwanda&FROM=LKVR5>1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR4
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