CEO & Founder of Soul of Rwanda

My name is Senga Jean Baptiste, CEO & founder of Soul of Rwanda, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing shelter, food, and education to orphans and disadvantaged children. Having experienced a difficult past—living on the streets, surviving the genocide of 1996, and being a child soldier in neighboring Congo—I am committed to changing the lives of children facing similar hardships. My mission is to help the new generation in Rwanda build a better future by unlocking their talents and helping them flourish.

At just five years old, my parents and I fled the Rwandan genocide and were forced to survive on the streets. It was there that I was recruited by a man who promised a way out, but instead led me into the horrors of war. Rather than finding safety, I was thrust onto the battlefield where I witnessed sexual violence, child labor, and exploitation. After enduring a decade of trauma as a child soldier and being forced to work in a mine, I managed to escape my captors and surrender to United Nations peacekeepers.

My life took a transformative turn when I connected with Footprint to Freedom, a survivor-led organization that empowered me to reclaim my future and become a leader. Alongside my younger brother, Migabo “Michael” Michel, I created the Soul of Rwanda to help others avoid the same fate.

Safe and sustainable self-employment is one of the most effective ways to prevent exploitation. Having faced the challenges of reintegration firsthand—particularly the lack of support for male survivors of human trafficking—I am now co-leading efforts to create gender-inclusive prevention and reintegration programs. In partnership with Michael, I am working to support the reintegration of street children, who are especially vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.

Read more about Senga’s harrowing journey as a survivor in this United Nations article: CLICK HERE.