One km away from the site of the largest massacre of individuals during the Rwandan genocide, L’Esperance Children’s Aid in partnership with Artists Activists is looking to build a soccer field and sports playground with a covered enclosure that also serves as a community center. There are about 100 kids on the property aged 0 to 21, many of whom have absolutely no families as a result of the genocide and AIDS. They have very little to do, if anything, in the immediate area in terms of entertainment or recreation. This project would provide a safe environment for sports and social development for children of all ages.

How much will the project cost?

Who is the sponsoring organization?

L'Esperance Childrens Aid International and ArtistsActivists. On location, the sponsoring individual is Victor Montroy and the sponsoring organization is L'Esperance Childrens Aid International. It’s an organization with a proven record and a lot of community support in the area. Established by Mr. Paul Kowoll in 1983, this organization supports over 660 orphans and runs schools for nearly 2500 students in villages in Ethiopia, Uganda, Brazil, Bolivia and Rwanda. Activities in Rwanda began in 1995 following the war and genocide that devastated the small country. L’Esperance owns 8 Ha of fertile land one km away from the church that was the site of the largest massacre of individuals during the Rwandan genocide where our project will be located. They founded and currently operate an orphanage there to support 103 orphans who lost their parents in the genocide. ArtistsActivists, a charity organization that has supported children’ programs in Kibera in the past and has had an ongoing relationship with L’Esperance for several years, will donate design services and oversee the construction and implementation of the project. http://lesperancerwanda.org and artistsactivists.org

Who is the contact at the sponsoring organization?

Who submitted this project for consideration?

Where will the project be located?

Kigarama, Rwanda

Children's Village Kigarama, near Lake Kivu. The site is located near Lake Kivu, in the Rwandan rolling landscape known as the land of a thousand hills. It is also near the Hill of Resistance Genocide Memorial, where passers-by stop to pay respect to more than one million victims killed in less than three months in 1994. Right now the area is completely remote—it is 5 hours by bus and two hours through the mountains by motorcycle from Kigali, Rwanda—but soon it will be on the path of the Congo Nile Trail, an eco-tourism project by the Rwandan Development Board.

Do facilities at the location need to be constructed or upgraded?

Yes. Yes, the ground needs to be leveled for the soccer field, a children’s playground installed, and a covered semi-enclosed shelter would be very useful as a place to supervise the children and for gathering to watch games. The simple shelter is also designed so that it can act as a venue for community events like musical performances or educational workshops.

Are any further architectural or design services required?

No.

Would this project benefit from the assistance of construction professionals?

Yes. Site leveling and construction of a low concrete wall with built-in benches, covered by a thin concrete roof made using an ingenious local technology.