Our Charitable Work and Social Responsibility

KYBORA is proud to be working with Foundation Rwanda on a program that empowers second-generation rape survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, by providing them with entrepreneurial support.

Even though Rwanda has seen significant advancements in safety, healthcare, education and reconciliation with its past, many survivors continue to grapple with the devastating consequences of the genocide, leading many to suffer in silence.

Our CEO, Alan Vanderborght, shares how our work with Foundation Rwanda came to be: “A few years ago, I became aware of the remarkable work being done by Foundation Rwanda (FR) while looking for ways to contribute to my country of birth. I was immediately struck by the beauty and importance of Foundation Rwanda’s mission of helping first and second-generation survivors of rapes that happened during the genocide of 1994. I knew I had found an organization whose mission aligned with KYBORA’s values.”

In the subsequent months, Alan’s son expressed a desire to help raise funds by producing short videos highlighting Foundation Rwanda’s work. “We proposed the project to Jules Shell, the founder of Foundation Rwanda, and she loved it.”, Alan recounts.

“We raised the funds, packed our bags, and met with the Foundation Rwanda team in Kigali. During our time in Rwanda, we worked on producing these vignettes.

More importantly, we got the chance to meet with the children that were born from the rapes that happend during the genocide. Their stories were heartbreaking but also filled with hope. The resilience of these young men and women and their positive attitude towards life were an inspiration to me and my son.”

The Foundation Rwanda-KYBORA Initiative seeks to provide 50 young adults per year with training and small business loans, with the objective of creating financial independence and entrepreneurship in the community. The top 15 participants in a business plan competition will receive loans to launch their businesses, while having ongoing support for three years.

As explained by Alan, “Several survivors struggled to find steady work or complete their education because of lack of funds. From this, the KYBORA-Foundation Rwanda Initiative was born. We are now actively funding the training and development of entrepreneurs in Rwanda. This is a comprehensive program that requires applicants to take a class to learn business fundamentals and how to become an entrepreneur, prepare and present a business case for their idea, defend it to a panel of judges, and compete for seed funding for their business.

The funding they receive is managed by a local bank and comes in the form of micro-loans that need to be reimbursed to get access to larger loans. We have now placed our first cohort through and are raising capital to fund 150 business ideas in the next three years.” Additionally, participants who receive loans contribute back to the initiative, by being part of a pay-it-forward program – thus helping other survivors and their families.

While various programs exist to empower Rwandan youth, challenges persist for second-generation survivors and their mothers. Key issues still need to be addressed, such as access to specialized mental and physical health services, overcoming stigma, the assistance needed to care for their aging mothers, entrepreneurship support and further education.

Emilienne Kambibi, Senior Counselor at Foundation Rwanda, further explains “This program was created by second-generation survivors for second-generation survivors to be able to care for their aging mothers and to become self-sufficient as they start their own families. It takes a very special partner like KYBORA to understand the challenges these youth face and to respond to their hopes and dreams by providing access to capital where conventional lenders won’t.”

In an interview with  NPR’s Here and Now, featuring Samuel Munderere, Foundation Rwanda’s Program Director, and Intare, a second-generation survivor and Foundation Rwanda Ambassador (who is not sharing her last name due to the stigma she still faces), the need to address the ongoing emotional trauma, discrimination and stigma survivors live with was emphasized and given a much-deserved spotlight.
In the interview, Intare bravely speaks out about the challenges survivors face and, in doing so, raises the necessary awareness for a global call to action.

«I wish for all second-generation survivors to have the bright future they wish to have. With health, mental health, education and entrepreneurship.» – Intare

Alan concludes, “My KYBORA colleagues and I are proud of contributing to the KYBORA-Foundation Rwanda Initiative. Giving back is at the core of KYBORA’s culture. We look forward to a successful future for the recipients of our grants, their businesses, families, and communities.”

By standing in solidarity with survivors and addressing their complex challenges, we can contribute to their collective healing and resilience, ensuring that their success, mental and physical health and financial independence are safeguarded.

We invite our colleagues in the biotech industry to join our initiative and help create a brighter future for these young adults and their families.

For more information, please reach out to us here, send an email to info@kybora.com or visit Foundation Rwanda‘s website.