Working with RVCP and living in Rwanda for 8 months was the best experience of my life. Not only was I able to work with amazingly inspiring Rwandan students who shared my passion for community development, but I was able to immerse myself in the culture of such a wonderful country. During my time as a capacity builder with RVCP, I worked on increasing the potential of RVCP through improving their internal organisational skills. These were skills I had learnt as a student volunteer in the UK, and could pass onto RVCP; for example budgeting, financial planning, communication protocols, monitoring and evaluation and institutional memory. The biggest achievement of the project was developing a year-long strategy that will guide RVCP’s actions over the coming year, and will inform their planning of the following year. Now I am an International Development Masters student, I am already planning my return to Rwanda to work with RVCP to conduct research for my thesis. Working alongside RVCP gave me a great opportunity to discover true grassroots development coupled with a team of hugely talented, enthusiastic and motivated student volunteers in a truly wonderful country.

Note: If you have ever volunteered with RVCP, please send your testimonial to rvcp_coordinator@yahoo.com or info@rwandavcp.org along with your picture to share with us your experience!