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Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village
Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village is a full time residential high school in Rwanda, it was founded by Anne Heyman, and her husband Seth Merrin in 2008, modeled on Israeli youth village Yemin Orde. It was constructed to be a home and safe haven for orphaned youths after the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. The village is located on a 58-hectare piece of land, and it is home to 500 young people and their caregivers. The village includes 32 dormitories, a high school (whose science and computer laboratories are equipped with the latest technological infrastructure), a health clinic, library, chapel, the Edmond J. Safra Community Center (which includes the dining hall), athletic fields, as well as a completely organic farm, which will, in addition to eventually providing for the Village’s complete nutritional needs, equip its students with the agricultural skills needed to be as self-sufficient as possible.

History
The devastation left behind in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide was the result of close to 1.2 million Rwandan children left orphaned.The village was built with the intent to bring hope for many people where they could  live in peace. The significance of the name "agahozo" a Kinyarwanda word meaning "tears are dried" and "shalom" a Hebrew word meaning "peace", were matched together to signify a refuge for the refugees.

After attending a talk about the Rwanda Genocide in 2005, Seth Merrin and wife Anne Heyman were inspired to model the Isareli Youth Village Yemin Orde, since they learnt that the crisis of orphans was still plaguing Rwanda. Since Rwanda’s government had nothing in place to assist these individuals being left behind, Anne and Seth decided to establish the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village.A team from Yemin Orde provided assistance to Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village with its training and leadership development.

Their mission statement emphasizes the provision of a safe haven for these youth who have great potential but o resources to assist them in reaching it.

The Elements of Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village(ASYV) Model
Education, Health and Wellness, Enrichment and Loving and supportive family are the key elements applied to facilitate the holistic growth and development of each child at ASYV. ASYV's programs and services are designed around two guiding principles: Tikkun Halev, or healing the heart, and Tikkun Olam, the healing that comes from helping others. ASYV is also rooted in its dedication to 7 essential core values: Commitment, Role Model, Integrity, Respect, Learning Community, Support and, most importantly, the Interest of the Child.

 A Loving Family 

The Family Unit is purposefully fashioned with a family mama and big brother/sister mentor to accommodate developing minds and healing hearts. Each household has 16-28 students, all male or female. “Cousins” offer necessary financial support, these are the Village Fellows, but they are all one family so the term cousin integrates the family bond. The ASYV students receive individualized “parental” attention that helps to heal their trauma, builds their self-esteem, and prepares them to graduate with the skills they need to adhere to a healthy and fulfilling adult life.

 Education 

A comprehensive academic curriculum was developed to include traditional secondary school and vocational subjects approved by the Rwandan Ministry of Education. ASYV has also implemented extra-curricular activities that draw on the cognitive enrichment programs of the world-renowned International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential (ICELP), based in Jerusalem. Reflecting the importance placed on complementary environments to classroom life, ASYV and ICELP have tailored individualized informal education plans.

 Enrichment 

In order for children to develop holistically the LEAP or Life Enrichment Applied Programs were created. Through these programs children are able to harness their passions and feed their talents. Children are allowed to experience arts, sewing, painting, traditional dances, also sports activities like volleyball, football, karate, and basketball. Students also have access to clubs of their choice like: Theater, Poetry, Girl Up ASYV and Unity and Reconciliation.

 Health and Wellness 

The trauma sustained by these orphaned youths require sound mental and physical health. The development of the Village’s Health and Wellness Center delivers front-line medical treatment and ongoing health education, covering such topics as diet, malaria prevention, and HIV/AIDS. Students are also offered psychological support along with basic health care services. Assigned to each grade, social workers collaborate with family mamas to identify students who may be in need. Utilizing individual and group counseling sessions and life skills education, social workers treat chronic conditions like PTSD and teach our students valuable skills like stress management techniques.

More Than Just A School
Various centers are available on the compound that are links in the chain where children are fostered to develop holistically.

EDMOND J SAFRA COMMUNITY CENTER

BARRY SEGAL HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER

THE LIQUIDNET FAMILY HIGH SCHOOL

GELFAND FAMILY SCIENCE CENTER

THE SPORTS FIELD

ART AND MUSIC CENTER

THE FARM

THE SOLAR FIELD

LILY J SAFRA AMPHITHEATER