Back row from left to right: Jean Pierre Ngomankindi, Cook. Rev. Fred Isaac Katagwa, Rwanda Executive Director. Pastor Charles Gashumba, Kigali Child Sponsorship Coordinator. Jane Kayirebwa, Procurement Officer. Jane Mirembe, Business Manager. Specioza Dusabe Mukazayire, Regional Manager Central and Bugesera. Luc Garuka, NLCA-Kayonza Cook.
Rooted in Christ. Resilient in hope. Rising together.
Pictured: Dr. Charles and Pastor Florence Mugisha, founders of Africa New Life Ministries
Child sponsorship remains at the center of this mission because when a child rises, families rise. When families rise, communities rise. And when communities rise, a nation rises. We have watched this happen before our eyes—one student at a time. We rise together.
Considering becoming a major donor ($10,000 and up) toward the ministry in Rwanda? Click here for more information.
Pictured: Pastor Florence Mugisha, cofounder of Africa New Life and founder of the women’s programs, with Marie Rose.
Marie Rose's Story
When Marie Rose joined the sewing program in 2005, she was the very first student to enroll. Life at that time was extremely difficult.
She and her husband struggled to find steady work, and providing for their children was uncertain. Some days she found small jobs doing manual labor. Other days there was nothing. She often worried about the future and whether her children would have opportunities she did not.
When Marie Rose joined the sewing program in 2005, she was the very first student to enroll. Life at that time was extremely difficult. She and her husband struggled to find steady work, and providing for their children was uncertain. Some days she found small jobs doing manual labor. Other days there was nothing. She often worried about the future and whether her children would have opportunities she did not.
Without stable work or practical skills, life felt fragile. But when she heard about the sewing program at the New Life Family Center, she decided to take a step of faith.
The program she entered was started by Pastor Florence Mugisha, cofounder of Africa New Life, who believed in equipping women with both skills and faith. Through the New Life Family Center, Florence created a place where women could rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose, and hope.
“On the first day, I felt hopeful,” Marie Rose remembers. “I believed this program could change my life.”
The early days were not easy. There were few sewing materials, and learning a new skill required patience. Still, Marie Rose kept going. The moment she completed her first ready-to-wear garment became a turning point.
“The day I learned how to make clothing, I felt energized,” she says. “It helped me realize that I could change my life.”
Through the program, Marie Rose gained more than vocational skills. She also experienced spiritual encouragement and began to see her life differently.
“This program changed me spiritually and emotionally,” she explains. “Through the program I came to know God, and I learned that He changes the lives of people.”
After completing the program, Marie Rose began working on her own, using her skills to support her family. Over time, the leaders saw the transformation in her life and invited her to return as an instructor.
For Marie Rose, moving from student to teacher was a powerful moment. “It shows me that the Word of God changes lives in tangible ways,” she says.
Today, she teaches women who face challenges similar to the ones she once experienced. When she looks at her students, she sees reflections of her own story.
“When I see these women, it reminds me of the faithfulness of God,” she says. “The way my life has changed gives me hope that their lives will change too.”
Marie Rose now provides for her household, and her children have been inspired by her journey, with some studying fashion and design.
Because someone once believed in her, Marie Rose now helps other women discover the same hope. “Because someone believed in me,” she says, “I am now able to instruct other women.”
As Africa New Life celebrates 25 years of ministry, Marie Rose sees her story woven into its journey. “This organization is like a family,” she says. “We come, we stay, and we continue serving.”
Her hope is that many more women will experience the same transformation.
“When you help a woman,” she says, “you help a whole family.”
Eric Rugamba's Story
Eric was six years old when Africa New Life came to his neighborhood in Kayonza.
His father worked at a petrol station, and his mother did tailoring jobs when she could. With several young children at home, finances were stretched thin. Schools nearby were transitioning from French to English, and Eric’s father was searching for a place where his son could begin his education with stability and hope.
Eric was six years old when Africa New Life came to his neighborhood in Kayonza.
His father worked at a petrol station, and his mother did tailoring jobs when she could. With several young children at home, finances were stretched thin. Schools nearby were transitioning from French to English, and Eric’s father was searching for a place where his son could begin his education with stability and hope.
A neighbor told them about a new school that had just opened: New Life Christian Academy. The next morning, Eric was enrolled.
At first, his father could manage the tuition. But as the school grew, the costs increased, and it became difficult to keep up. Africa New Life was patient. Staff visited the family, listened to their situation, and began searching for a sponsor.
In Primary 3 (3rd grade), Eric received the news that would shape his future. He had a sponsor. "I still remember the feeling! It was a great moment for my family."
Eric became the first in his family to be sponsored. Later, his siblings would also receive sponsors, but he was the first to step into that opportunity. Along with academic support, he attended Saturday discipleship gatherings where students were taught the Word of God and shared meals together. It was there that Eric began his relationship with Jesus.
As a child, Eric was fascinated by how things worked. When he saw a car pass by, he wondered how it moved. When someone made a phone call, he wanted to understand what made it function. A dream began forming in his heart: he wanted to become an engineer.
In Senior 2 (8th grade), his first sponsor was no longer able to continue support. It was a frightening moment. But Africa New Life did not send him home. They continued covering his tuition while searching for another sponsor, allowing him to keep learning without interruption.
In Senior 5 (11th grade), during a school outing for top academic performers, a woman named Sharon learned that Eric no longer had a sponsor. On that bus ride, she and her husband Mike made a decision that would change his life. They committed to sponsor him through high school and into university. “We enjoyed more moments than we can count sponsoring Eric while watching him grow into an educated and spiritual young man,” they shared.
At the time, Eric was a quiet but determined student, already performing at a high academic level. “He was a shy youth performing at a national level at Africa New Life school when we sponsored him, and his continued success made us confident and proud to support him in college.”
Their relationship extended far beyond financial support. During a visit to Rwanda, Sharon and Mike met Eric’s family in their rented home, built with mud and without running water. “We had the privilege of visiting Eric’s family and receiving their love and gifts for supporting their son. The love and pride for our shared Rwandan son forged bonds never to be forgotten.”
Eric pushed himself academically, becoming the top mathematics student in his school. He was admitted to the University of Rwanda to study electrical engineering and graduated four years later with his bachelor’s degree. “Giving someone education is a lifetime investment,” Eric says.
After graduation, Eric began his career at Rwanda Energy Group as a professional intern. Through perseverance and excellence, he advanced to technician, then project engineer, and today serves as a project manager overseeing energy development projects across multiple districts in Rwanda. The boy who once wondered how things worked now helps power Rwanda’s future.
Eric’s journey has also transformed his family’s future. After securing his professional role, he was able to purchase a home for them. “Eric’s college graduation and securing a professional position enabled him to purchase a home for his family. He used the gifts given to him to provide for his family. Such a beautiful moment,” Sharon and Mike reflected.
The impact of sponsorship did not stop with him. Eric paid for his younger brother to attend college and is helping his youngest sibling finish high school. He is also pursuing a master’s degree in project management at Oklahoma Christian University.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s rebuilding after the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, Eric believes Africa New Life arrived at a critical moment. Education created opportunity not only for individuals, but also for families and communities rebuilding their lives.
Sponsorship, for Sharon and Mike, was never just about one student.“Sponsoring Eric gave us the amazing opportunity to help a wonderful young boy mature into a successful, thoughtful, caring, and Christian man. He provided us his love and spiritual support, and for that we are forever grateful.”
From a six-year-old boy with big questions, to a leader shaping infrastructure in his nation, Eric’s story reflects what sponsorship makes possible. His life is a testimony to faithfulness, perseverance, and the power of education to transform generations.
Eric stands with Pastor Charles Gashumba, Child Sponsorship Coordinator, and Rebecca Kibarama, Regional Manager, Africa New Life leaders who helped connect him to sponsorship and faithfully supported his journey. Today, as a successful adult, he remains close to them both.
Highlights from Our Programs
25 Years of Impact
Students served through educational sponsorship since 2001
High school and vocational graduates
Post-secondary graduates equipped for careers and leadership
The next 25 starts with you
“…because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion…”
Philippians 1:5-6
Your faithful support widens the circle. Welcomes waiting students. Strengthens new families. Lifts entire communities.
Join us in advancing the Gospel, for the glory of Christ and the good of His people!
Across all our ministry areas, 86.7% of expenses went toward our programs and services in 2025.
Program Services 86.7%
Fundraising 9.9%
Administration 3.4%
2025 Financials
2025 Revenue: $15,713,539
2025 Expenses: $15,504,010
Note: all financial figures cited here for fiscal year 2025 are unaudited as of press time. Check back here in June 2026 to see our 2025 audited financials!
Download our latest Annual Report and see more about what Africa New Life was up to last year by clicking below!
Your gift to Africa New Life’s Impact Fund (general fund) makes the transformation of lives in Rwanda possible. A gift to the Impact Fund can be used wherever opportunities or needs arise, whether in Rwanda or here in the US; it allows Africa New Life to be the most responsive when we need to be. We believe the Impact Fund is the most strategic and timely investment you can make. Thank you for helping this ministry grow!