About Us

Bridge of Hope is a child-focused organization founded in 2018, aiming to provide access to education, health, and nutrition for vulnerable children, promote and protect their rights, and empower their communities through family transformation programs.

At Bridge of Hope, we focus on the holistic development of underprivileged children in every aspect of their lives, including educational, physical, emotional, moral, and social development.
Explore our website to learn how you can be part of our journey in nurturing young dreams and building a brighter future for all.

MISSION
VISION
COMMITMENT
MOTTO

To provide access to advanced education programs for children from early childhood to early adulthood, and to participate in the spiritual growth of the youth in their communities.
To create an environment with sustainable social welfare, integration and assistance in the development of vulnerable children by supporting them through education programs.

To transform communities with education and community development programs encompassed by the love of God.

We are committed to create an environment of sustained social welfare and spiritual awareness and maturity.

Our organization’s motto:
Give Hope to the Hopeless.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
(Jeremiah 29:11)

Elie NSHIMIYIMANA

Founder

Elie is the Founder and Executive Director of the Bridge of Hope. He has been involved in ministry and charity work focused on child development and community transformation since 2012.Elie received training from various organizations, including Peace Plan Rwanda, and became a Community Peace Trainer (CPT) in 2013, collaborating with local churches and community leaders.

He is a member of the NGO Founders Global Network and serves as a Board Member of the Rotaract Club of Kigali Kalisimbi. He holds multiple certifications in child care, youth programs, leadership, and biblical studies. After years of contemplation, he founded the Bridge of Hope Organization in 2018, which was officially registered in Rwanda by December 2021.Besides leading the Bridge of Hope, Elie is also the President of Rising Stars Sports Center and holds a License D in football coaching for grassroots. He is married to Betty NATUKUNDA, and together with the Bridge of Hope team, they work tirelessly to create transformative impacts in the community.

We invite you to join the Bridge of Hope family to pursue its mission of building a brighter future for the next generations.

Together, we can make a difference, one step at a time.

THE JOURNEY

The idea of Bridge of Hope came to Elie NSHIMIYIMANA after seven years of working with people in less privileged communities to bring hope and positive change to their lives. He was committed to sharing his experience and skills in community transformation. Therefore, he began training in two separate communities, Kanyinya and Cyabatanzi villages in the Gasabo District, assisting widows, and empowering youth and children by helping them access education and healthcare services.

Additionally, he established savings programs, advocated for these communities, and strengthened them in partnership with local churches and leaders.
His experiences from this journey and his God-given passion to help children in need, specifically in their education, as well as working with widows and vulnerable people to identify and address the underlying causes of poverty, inspired his plans. He aims to help these families live confident lives through Christ.
Regardless of his vision, God has directed Elie to serve his people in rural community development programs since 2012. He has been blessed and trained, which has enabled him to serve the communities with commitment and wholehearted dedication. In 2018, he decided to start the Bridge of Hope Organization with the ambition of assisting vulnerable children.

As the Bridge of Hope team, we endeavor to continue our work in line with the Sustainable Development Goals by raising awareness about the hardships faced by children living in very poor conditions. Bridge of Hope wishes to affirm the personality of each child and accomplish our aim of giving hope to the hopeless.

CORE VALUES

Prayer

We believe in the power of prayer as a guiding force in our work, seeking divine guidance in child development initiatives

Compassion

Our approach is rooted in deep empathy, striving to alleviate suffering and promote the well-being of children and families.

Integrity

We maintain the highest standards of honesty and ethical conduct, ensuring accountability in all child development programs

Servant Leadership

We lead by serving the needs of vulnerable children, placing their growth and development at the forefront of our actions.

Collaboration

We work closely with partners and communities to maximize the impact of our child development efforts, fostering collaboration for sustainable change

Sustainability

Our programs are designed for long-term impact, focusing on environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable practices to support children’s growth and development

PROBLEM STATEMENT

According to UNICEF Rwanda, In Rwanda, a significant number of children, particularly from disadvantaged communities, lack access to essential Early Childhood Development (ECD) services. Nearly 800,000 children suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition, and only 18% of children aged 3 to 6 can attend pre-school programs. For children under 3, access is even more limited, with just 1% benefiting from ECD services.
Additionally, home environments are often not interesting, with only One in five parents engaging in early learning activities. This lack of support during the critical early years severely hinders the development of cognitive, motor, language, and socio-emotional skills, leading to poor school performance and limiting future opportunities.
Addressing these issues is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty and enabling children to reach their full potential and become change agents in their societies.
In that case, Bridge of Hope Organization is dedicated to addressing the critical issues in Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Rwanda by implementing a multifaceted approach. We are establishing and support ECD centers to provide comprehensive services while enhancing caregiver capacity.
Additionally, we are promoting spiritual and social development among youth and engage parents and caregivers through a community empowerment program aimed at addressing poverty and conflicts.
Advocacy for effective policy development and government coordination will ensure the sustainability of ECD services.
Together, these initiatives aim to break the cycle of poverty and enable all children to thrive and contribute positively to their communities.

Right to education

In African countries, including Rwanda, education faces significant challenges, as highlighted by the World Economic Forum. Globally, millions of children, particularly in Africa, are out of school, with many residing in conflict zones, fragile states, or rural areas. These challenges contribute to high dropout rates, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where cultural barriers, lack of facilities, and the need for child labor often prevent children from accessing education.

To confront these obstacles, efforts are directed towards safeguarding vulnerable children, particularly young girls at risk of unwanted pregnancies. The low enrollment rates in preschool lead to child labor, while poor literacy rates exacerbate school dropout rates, further compounded by families prioritizing other needs over education.
In response, initiatives like the “URUHONGORE ECD CENTER” (Early Childhood Development Center) are established to provide comprehensive support, starting from preschool, and collaborate with local primary schools to reduce dropout rates among impoverished children, aiming to transform education into a pathway to success for vulnerable children.

While Rwanda has made significant strides in ensuring the right to education, challenges persist. Despite near universal access to primary education and gender parity, foundational skills remain lacking among many students, with high repetition and dropout rates hindering progress.
To bolster the right to education in Rwanda, increased investment in early education and foundational learning is essential. This includes developing alternative learning pathways for out-of-school children, improving English proficiency among teachers, addressing educational inequalities, providing relevant skills and employment opportunities for youth, leveraging technology in education, supporting marginalized children, and strengthening school monitoring and evaluation systems

General situation of child Labour in Africa

Child labor is a significant issue in Africa, with around 92 million children affected, making up one in five children on the continent. This makes Africa the region with the highest prevalence of child labor globally. Many children work in hazardous conditions in sectors such as agriculture, mining, and domestic work, particularly in rural areas where poverty and lack of education drive families to rely on child labor for survival.

The root causes of child labor in Africa include extreme poverty, inadequate access to quality education, and limited employment opportunities for adults. Additionally, crises such as conflicts, natural disasters, and climate change exacerbate the situation by disrupting livelihoods and increasing the economic vulnerability of families.

The continent also has the lowest social protection coverage in the world, with 83% of the population lacking any form of social protection, making children more susceptible to exploitation.

Efforts to combat child labor focus on addressing these root causes by ensuring free and quality education, promoting decent work for adults and youth, and expanding social protection to reduce poverty.

Successful initiatives, like the health insurance model in Côte d’Ivoire that involves agricultural cooperatives, demonstrate the potential of innovative, locally-driven solutions.

These efforts, supported by African governments and international organizations, are essential for creating a future where children in Africa can grow up free from the burden of labor.