Eric Rugamba

Building What He Once Only Imagined

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.