People

Stories and Faces

Here, we've assembled some of the faces and stories of the people who have made Wikwiheba what it is. Please meet: Claude, the pastor in the Presbyterian congregation of Byumba who saw the potential of the project when Françoise, the first president of Association Wikwiheba in Byumba, pitched the initial idea. Heinrich, who brought the Wikwiheba stories to Germany and sparked the international collaboration that laid the foundation for Wikwiheba as we know it. And Jean-Baptiste, who grew up on the Wikwiheba meal plan and Jean du Dieu, who generously shares his own personal story with Wikwiheba.

Jean du Dieu

My name is Muhawenimana Jean du Dieu. I am 13 years old. I thank you for everything you have done for me. I had no hope of surviving, but with God´s grace I have gotten support from you. The problems are always there, but you have shown that life can be possible for orphans. Before, I was living on the street, I had no shelter, no place to stay, but now I do. And I have to do everything so that I do not have to live the old life again. Because I am with Wikwiheba, now I have everything.
We all think: all that you have done for us, we also want to do for others. That is now our mission. Maybe there are other orphans who haven´t had this chance but we had this chance because of the food you provided and we are very happy about it. Give our greetings to all the brothers and sisters who are not here but who are thinking of us. Please tell them that the children from Wikwiheba greet them. God bless you and thank you.

Health care is a true essential of sustainable development!

While health care is essential for human life anywhere, there really is not access secured for people everywhere. So in 2017 Wikwiheba decided to support families in Mugano by subsidizing health insurance for everyone. This benefits women, men, children alike and lays the foundation for every other dimension of Wikwiheba's work. No development project, no education system, no vocational training is successful, if health care is not a given. Therefore, we chose to boost the government's effort towards universal health care with a few hundred dollars, which does not sound like much, but actually achieves a lot. If you want to support people like Nyarasafari, please donate. It really does help!