Dr. Jean Aime MUSABYEMUNGU
Founder and Chairperson of GTC
Dr. Jean Aime Musabyemungu was born in Nyamyumba, a rural area of Rwanda. Growing up, he learned to never give up on his dreams. Born into a poor family, he lost both his parents during the period of the Genocide of the Tutsi and Liberation War. As there was always the risk of having to drop out of school, at 9, he began supporting his education by selling sugar cane and doughnuts in town and bringing back empty plastic bottles for the traditional town healer’s medicine. At 12, he started to run a small poultry business and also sold Irish potatoes to pay for school expenses for both himself and his younger sister. After the death of his older sister from leukemia, he worked tutoring other students and at a construction site to earn money, as he and his younger sister were the only two remaining members of his family.
In school, he won several awards which helped pay for his educational expenses. These included: top student, Rubavu District; >90% score mathematics national examination; Byimana School of Science scholarship; University of Rwanda General Medicine and Surgery student, with Rwanda Education Board loan and Wells Mountain Initiative scholarship. After a long journey, he graduated in medicine and surgery from the University of Rwanda. Now he is a medical doctor.
In 2016, he started Give Them a Chance to help the children in his community who were struggling to get basic school materials. Later, the project grew to support teen mothers by giving them financial training and teaching them to sew, along with providing sexual reproductive health training.
Dr. Martin NDINZWENIMANA
Co-founder and Vice-chairperson
Dr. Martin Ndizwenimana is co-founder of Give Them a Chance and Vice-Chairperson responsible for the design and piloting of community projects before their implementation.
Dr. Martin, a WMI Graduate Scholar, has over 4 years of experience designing, managing, and monitoring the project’s sexual reproductive health training. Before joining GTC, Dr. Martin worked at the University of Rwanda, Karongi University Student Association project designer and management officer.
Dr. Martin Ndinzwenimana is a medical doctor who graduated with honors from the University of Rwanda School of Medicine. He currently works at Kibuye Referral Hospital.
Dr. Gad Dusengimana – Director of Operations
Dr. Gad Dusengimana is responsible for the design and pilot testing of our project survey instruments, as well as managing the creation and ongoing oversight of our monitoring and evaluation (M&E) database.
Dr. Gad has over 3 years’ experience in M&E of the project. Before joining GTC, Dr. Gad worked for the University of Rwanda Adventist Student Association as a youth coordinator and as their M&E coordinator and system administrator.
Dr. Gad Dusengimana is a medical doctor who graduated with first-class honors from the University of Rwanda School of Medicine. He is currently working at Ruhengeri Referral Hospital.
Justine Mukeshimana
Fundraiser and Beneficiaries Director
Justine Mukeshimana takes care of the project’s fundraising efforts. She is also in charge of communication and beneficiaries management.
Justine has been working with the project from the beginning. She is a gender equality activist and a strong education supporter. She has been in charge of selecting and managing the project beneficiaries. Her fundraising efforts contribute to the sustainability of the organization.
Justine is a WMI student scholar. She is a finalist nursing student at Ruli Higher Institute of Health. She is currently finishing her clinical rotations at the Rubavu District Hospital. As this hospital is close to the community where the GTC-Projects are being carried out, this allows her to monitor them closely.