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SPRING 2020 NEWSLETTER

Dear Hope for Life Family,

The past several years have been full of growth for HFL. With your partnership, more children are being served each year, programs have expanded, and operations have grown in both Rwanda and the U.S. HFL, while still grassroots, has graduated into a more sophisticated and mature organization through a decade of experience. With such growth comes changes, including within our own leadership. Over 10 years ago, Chantal Umutesi co-founded HFL with Megan Chao and Hiliary Anderson.

Their common vision to see children empowered to escape homelessness brought them together. Since then, Chantal has faithfully served the organization as a staff member, a Board Member, and the past five years as the Executive Director in Rwanda.

I would like to formally announce that Chantal will be stepping down from her role as Executive Director in Rwanda. This decision was reached with mutual agreement as Chantal focuses on her growing family and HFL continues to expand. We are immensely grateful for Chantal’s leadership and contributions during her time as Executive Director.

She helped to strengthen the Rehabilitation Program, established preventative measures to help keep families together, and initiated the idea to build a second rehabilitative home. Please join us in thanking Chantal for her countless contributions, time, and love as HFL’s leader in Rwanda.

We will soon start the process of hiring a new Executive Director. In the interim, I will continue serving as Chair for the Board of Directors in Rwanda, as well as part-time Interim Executive Director during the search, hiring, and onboarding process. We look forward to introducing you to our new leader later this year.

We appreciate your ongoing support to equip youth to leave homelessness here in Rwanda.

Peace,

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Christophe Mbonyingabo
Chair, Hope for Life Ministry Board of Directors
Interim Executive Director, Rwanda

2019 By the Numbers

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Youth actively experiencing homelessness provided with basic resources and case management.
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Youth equipped to successfully transition out of homelessness.
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Families reunited and empowered to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for good.
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Young men reached financial independence and graduated from HFL's programs.

Thank you for making 2019 another successful year!
A full Annual Report will be available in May.

A Night OF Hope 2020

Join us in downtown Seattle for an evening of fun, impact, and generosity at Hope for Life’s annual Gala, A Night of Hope!

Friday, October 16, 2020 | 7:00 PM
Block 41 | Seattle, WA

Tickets and details

If you have been a part of the Hope for Life (HFL) community for a while, you’ve probably seen stories about one of the first boys in HFL’s programs, Pacifique, more lovingly known as Paci. Paci transitioned into HFL’s rehabilitative home after spending three years living on the streets as a young boy. Having no family or relatives to return to, Paci spent several years at HFL’s rehabilitative home healing from trauma, going to school, growing spiritually and learning valuable life skills before transitioning into independent living nearly three years ago. Now 23-years-old, Paci recently graduated from high school and underwent national exams to see if he qualifies to continue his education at the University level.

In the next year while Paci waits for his scores and evaluates his future options, we asked Paci to return to Hope for Life, but in a new capacity–as a staff member! Paci’s patient, kind, and outgoing personality make him a favorite among the younger program participants, whom he considers to be his little brothers. With Paci’s unique experience and maturity, he is able to relate to boys transitioning out of homelessness in a special way and we know he will have a positive, lasting effect on all.

“This is the life I wished for… I am becoming someone that the people who knew me before couldn’t expect at all. It’s hard for me to explain how happy I am. I want to change the world and people’s lives. I know society needs me.”

Your partnership helped Paci escape homelessness, obtain an abundant life, and we could not be more proud of the young man he has become! To see an individual not only flourish after the trauma of homelessness but to be able to give back and share hope and love with others, is nothing short of amazing.

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