Bertrand Ishimwe and Azahara Garcia Espejo have started Irembo Foundation in Kigali, Rwanda to help vulnerable children and families. The foundation runs several projects including a sewing project employing unemployed women, a basket weaving project, a shoe making project for unemployed men, and a youth group. It also pays school fees for poor children and health insurance for families. The goals are to help over 100 children access education, provide jobs for parents, and insure 62 families. Funds will support expanding training, materials, and identifying more families to help.

2. Bertrand Ishimwe Azahara G. Espejo
My name is Bertrand, I
live in Kigali and I am 21
years old. My life has
been a bumpy ride. I
know what it is to be
hungry because there is
not enough food for eight
brothers, not being able
to go to school because
there is not enough
money to pay the school
feet or to hide my feet
under the desk because
of not having shoes. I
was lucky enough to find
people who have helped
me along the way, and ,
above all, I’ve learnt
how important hard work
is. Now, I wanna help
those who need it , I
wanna give back to the
community, I wanna
make Rwanda a better
place.
My name is Azahara, I am
Spanish and I am 27 years
old. I have studied
Economics and Journalism
and a Master in
International Development
Studies, where I
specialized in
Development Economics. I
first came to Rwanda in
2012 where I carried out a
research about the relation
between Youth and
Microfinance Programs.
For the last yeas I’ve been
working for a microfinance
institution in Mexico and
getting knowledge about
social entrepreneurship
and the development of
programs for social impact
and innovation. I felt in love
with Rwanda once and I
believe in the great
potential of its people.

3. THE CONTEXT
The genocide in Rwanda left
many families mired in poverty
and struggling to provide
basic needs for their children.
It destroyed the infrastructure
and social fabric, leaving a
lasting impact on communities
and creating a host of new
challenges to address. One of
the many issues produced by
this tragic history is the impact
it has had on the lives of
Rwanda’s youngest, most
vulnerable population.
Many children in Rwanda
live on the streets without
access to education, food or
medical care. Some children
are orphans; others come from
poor families who are unable
to provide for their basic
needs. Without an education
or hope for the future, these
children grow up with few
options and often become
victims of the cycle of
poverty, and the ensuing
structural violence this entails.

4. OUR GOALS
To ensure that the more
than 100 identified
vulnerable children are
provided with
education services
To provide the parents of
these children with a way to
make a living and sustain
their own families
To ensure that the 62
identified vulnerable
families are provided with
health insurance services
To expand beyond the
borders of Rwanda to create
a global youth community
where young people can
share their ideas to make this
world a better place.

5. THE PROJECTS
Sewing Women
Project
Agaseke Women
Project
Umulinga Men
Project
Youth for Youth
Project Education for All
Project
Mama Rwanda
Project

6. SEWING WOMEN PROJECT
What is it?
!
It’s a project through which unemployed women learn sewing techniques
in order to produce good quality products with an unique african touch in
order to be sold and become their income generating activity.
What have we done so far?
!
25 women are currently involved in this project. They are being
taught by a volunteer expertise who teaches them 2 days per
week, 2 hours each day.
Next Steps
!
• To buy our own sewing machines
(beginning with 13).
• To rent a bigger place that would serve
as workshop and exhibition place.
• To eventually involve more women in
the project.
!

7. AGASEKE WOMEN PROJECT
What is it?
!
It’s a project through which unemployed women learn the necessary techniques to make
traditional Rwandan baskets, mats and derivatives in order to produce good quality products to
be sold and become their income generating activity.
What have we done so far?
!
17 women are currently involved in this project. They are being taught by a volunteer expertise.
Products were exhibited in YEGO Arts Center for sometime until the partnership stopped.
Next Steps
!
• To increase the number of women involved in the project.
• To own a workshop and exhibition place.

8. UMULINGA MEN PROJECT
What have we done so far?
!
13 men are currently involved in this project. We’ve produced more
than a hundred shoes which are being exhibited in NIYO Arts
Gallery.
Next Steps
!
• To increase the number of men involved in the project.
• To diversify the style and kind of shoes we produce.
• To improve the quality of the materials used in the making of
the shoes.
• To own our own exhibition place.
What is it?
!
It’s a project through which unemployed men are taught to
produce good quality colorful shoes to be sold, becoming
their income generating activity.

9. YOUTH FORYOUTH PROJECT
What is it?
!
A community of young members in charge of organizing and carrying out activities with a positive social impact
and empower other fellow youth to give the best of themselves in order to make this world a better place.
What have we done so far?
!
• Money fundraised to help 10 poor families paying for health insurance and send two children to back to school.
• Weekly discussions and seminars for members and potential new members.
• Currently, 36 young members involved in the project.
!
!Next Steps
!
• To involve more young members in the project.
• To create a global youth network where young people can share their ideas about activities with a positive social impact
and, eventually, exchange programs between countries.
• New activities
!
• Teaching reading and writing to illiterate women in the countryside.
• Developing new ideas for income generating activities for unemployed men and women.
• Organizing meetings, english lessons and vocational training for fellow youth who are on the streets.
• Visiting orphanages and organizing sport and art activities for children.
• Organizing meetings and seminars with genocide committers and victims.
!

10. MAMA RWANDA PROJECT
What is it?
!
It’s a club for single mothers dedicated to uncover the difficulties of single motherhood. Single mothers are
provided with a place where to share their problems, discuss and give advice to each other in order to make
their life better. Irembo Foundation uses the Mama Rwanda project to identify those women suffering from lack
of health insurance, unemployment or unable to take their kids to school aiming to provide them with a solution.
What have we done so far?
!
• The club has started to meet wednesdays and sundays from 5 to 6 pm.
• List of themes to treat:
• Life stories (reasons for break up, childhood, hardship during marriage, etc.)
• Children management
• Economic management (savings, expenses, jobs, etc)
• Home management
• Experiences along single motherhood
!
!
!
!
Next Steps
!
• To involve more women in the project.
• To expand the number of activities.
• Find an appropriate place to meet.
!

11. EDUCATION FOR ALL PROJECT
What is it?
!
It’s a project through which we identified the most vulnerable children whose families can’t afford
their education because of economic obstacles (sometimes they are orphans, come from
monoparental families or parents don’t have a job). We cover their school fees and school materials.
There is a follow up on their results and meetings with their parents concerning they performance.
What have we done so far?
!
We have managed to send 41 children back to school thanks to foreign donations and the
help of the members of the “Youth for youth” project.
Next Steps
!
• To ensure that the 120 identified vulnerable children are sent back to school.
• To provide these children with afternoon activities such as painting and dancing.

12. THE BUSINESS MODEL
Period 1 (first 5 months) Period 2
• Search and rent of a house that will work as
workshop and exhibition place (shop).
!
• Purchase of sewing machines and necessary
materials.
!
• Conditioning and decoration of shop.
!
• 5 months vocational training for women and men in
the different products production.
!
Sewing/Agaseke Women Project &!
Umulinga Men Project
Youth for Youth / Mama Rwanda Project!
• Development of new ideas and partnership with
different institutions in Rwanda.
!
• Strenthening of the single mothers’ club.
!
• Development of global network.
!
! Education for All Project!
• New crowd founding campaign (December-
January)
• Rent
• New materials
• Bills
• Support for those families
who still face problems
paying schools fees.
!
• Development of afternoon
activities (dancing, painting).
• Support for the development
of new activities.
!
• Support for those families who
face problems paying for
health insurance.
!
Those women and men who
went through the 5 months
vocational training period
will now be hired as
employees and will make a
monthly salary as a way for
them to sustain their own
family.
3. Education for All 4. Youth for Youth
1. Salaries 2. Maintenance Costs
Opening of Ishami Boutique
Where we will be selling the products from the Sewing and
Agaseke Women Project and Umulinga Men project
Benefits distribution
NEED FOR INITIAL INVESTMENT (4,500 EUR)

13. information@irembofoundation.org
CONTACT INFORMATION
Bertrand Azahara
azaharagarciaespejo@gmail.comishimwebertrand@hotmail.com
+34 661 80 62 79+250 722 894 303
Make a Move. Shake the World