BRIDGE2RWANDA

The mission of the Bridge2Rwanda Scholars Program is to build a fellowship of globally-educated young leaders in Africa with the capacity to transform their communities and accelerate growth in their country. The program selects the most talented high school graduates, helping them earn scholarships to study abroad and equipping them to launch their careers back in Africa.

The Bridge2Rwanda Scholars program is a rigorous program that identifies and prepares Rwanda's most talented and promising students to compete for international scholarships.
Once they are awarded a scholarship, B2R connects the students to local host families, communities of faith, academic counselors, career advisors and internship opportunities. The goal is not only to prepare B2R Scholars to succeed as international students, but to live with purpose as future leaders of Africa.
B2R creates jobs and opportunities to help the Scholars launch their careers in Africa. B2R is building a network of potential employers in Africa, including local, foreign-owned and multinational businesses, NGO's and governments.

Our core mission begins with the annual Bridge2Rwanda Scholars gap-year class of 30 Rwandans, plus 10-20 others from disadvantaged African countries. In addition, university prep has been offered to Ministry of Defense for U.S. military academies, Carnegie Mellon University graduate candidates and local schools and families pursuing international admission and scholarships.
In the School to Work Transition, Bridge2Rwanda guides these scholars through the process of choosing and pursuing their careers and helping students studying abroad repatriate into jobs and professional opportunities in Africa.
Bridge2Rwanda's leaders have been actively engaged in Rwanda for almost fifteen years. We have a dense network of friends and relationships within the Rwandan government and in the private and social sectors. Bridge2Rwanda has a reputation for getting things done.
Since 2001, Bridge2Rwanda and its leaders have hosted hundreds of visitors and mobilized dozens of expatriates to live and work in Rwanda. They have also helped launch a number of significant foreign-owned businesses and other programs, primarily in education and business development.

Building the Fellowship, Fulfilling the Mission

When they are selected they become Scholars.
When they go abroad, they become Senior Scholars.
When they graduate, they become Alumni.
When they come home, they become Fellows.

For the past seven years, B2R has worked to build a fellowship of globally-educated young leaders in Rwanda and its conflict-torn neighboring countries with the capacity to accelerate growth and transform their communities.

To date, 32 Bridge2Rwanda Fellows (several pictured above) have returned home to launch their careers in Rwanda. As a group, these young leaders represent the critical mass needed to establish the Fellowship and fulfill the mission.