Carlos is a man of Itombwe. He was born in Marunde, the village where the Center is located. He grew up there and knows and is known and respected by everyone in the vast Haut Plateau.

 

Wanting to contribute, Carlos decided to go university after already in his 30s. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from the Kigali Institute of Education. But Itombwe is home to Carlos and after graduating from university, he was looking for a way to get back. Neema presented Carlos with her vision to build a Community Center, a Women’s Center in Itombwe. Carlos accepted and has now built a Center with over 3,000 square feet of space, built in four separate phases. The Center has a number of work spaces, a number of meeting spaces, 3 sleeping rooms, two inside bathrooms with every accommodation, solar energy and satellite internet. The Itombwe Center has set a new standard for development in the Haut Plateau, an area the size of neighboring countries Burundi and Rwanda combined. And Carlos has had a huge hand in bringing development to Itombwe.

 

Besides maintaining the Center, Carlos is responsible for supporting the Environmental Conversation and Tree Planting initiatives, the Keep Girls in School program, the Media Center activity, the Girl Ambassadors for Peace program, and a number of other projects and programs.