About us
African Evangelistic Enterprise Rwanda
AEE Rwanda partners with communities, government and the local church, to bring hope, dignity and transformation through faith and community-driven development.
Our History
AEE Rwanda was founded in 1984 by Israel Havugimana, a man devoted to peace, healing, and reconciliation. It was a small movement with just seven staff committed to serving local people in partnership with the church. In a devastating turn of events, Israel and two AEE Rwanda staff lost their lives during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi population. Up until today, the Havugimana Israel Guest House continues to honour his legacy.
After 1994, AEE Rwanda rebuilt its programs and its team to expand the mission to serve people in their darkest hours with compassion, faith and practical help. Over the next decade, it learned the importance of partnerships, self-empowerment and equipping people, even the poorest in a community, to take responsibility for their own development. It is from this period that the oft-used phrase ‘word and deed’ arose. It is a clear understanding that faith is seen in deeds or good works, as well as heard in words (Frequently Asked Questions).
Who We Are Today
We serve thousands of people each year through a broad range of activities and services. It provides training in education, health, human rights and entrepreneurship. It facilitates connection to communities and within communities. It advocates with government and other services for support and infrastructure. It builds ECDs, schools and vocational training centers in partnership with government, community groups and overseas supporters. It encourages people of all ages and capacities to find ways to provide for themselves and their families. And it establishes bridges with community leaders, most often the church, to serve their communities’ spiritual and practical needs for sustained change.
We have more than 150 staff and countless thousands of volunteers. Its offices are found in 29 of the 30 Rwandan districts. It is this commitment to local staff, grassroots knowledge and innovation that makes AEE ‘s vision and mission achievable, even within a challenging financial landscape.