“Agahoza” is a KinyaRwandan word for a “place where tears are dried.” “Shalom” is the Hebrew word for “hello,” “goodbye,” and “peace.” Planting seeds of hope in a soil of human suffering, the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village opened in 2008. More than 500 orphaned and vulnerable teenagers live there in homes run by “Mamas,” Rwandan women who lost family members, sometimes entire families, in the genocide. Though South African founder Anne Heyman died in 2015, the school continues to thrive. In this class, you will find out what, how and why through photos, stories, music, and heartfelt humor, as Phyllis Lerner brings the Village to us!


LLI Coordinator: Karen Waltman