Sifa Nsengimana was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where her family settled after fleeing the 1962 Tutsi Massacre in Rwanda. Following a childhood marked by poverty, separation, fear, discrimination, and tragedy, she lived an adolescence characterized by wars and more exile. In November of 1993, Mrs. Nsengimana immigrated to Canada, and began a new life, turning the page on the days where soldiers in Burundi had her dig holes to bury fallen rebels. Five months later, her entire extended family (more than 85 people) was killed in the 1994 Rwandan Tutsi genocide, which claimed nearly one million lives in 100 days.

Marked by the genocide and longing for peace and justice, Nsengimana became an advocate for the voiceless, working on behalf of women and children in conflict zones. Nsengimana was the director, and later co-chair, of the Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur before joining the Agahozo-Shalom project in 2006. Within Agahozo-Shalom, Nsengimana’s ability to rally and galvanize people into action became central to turning 144 acres of wild land into a beautiful youth village in less than two years; and her optimistic approach helped build a team and programs which are today the pride of Rwanda and serving as a model for other organizations/countries. As the project’s advisor, her ongoing counsel and leadership ensure that the core values and mission of the Village are carried out in line with the spirit and realities of Rwanda, while building a world class institution.