Rwanda

In July 2024, Beyond Stigma, in partnership with Zvandiri and Dream Village, conducted a six-day Wakakosha residential pilot in Kigali. While Rwanda has made incredible strides in HIV care and targets, internal stigma remains a critical barrier to long-term health, with approximately 23.6% of people living with HIV experiencing deep-seated feelings of shame and self-rejection. Our pilot engaged 30 Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS), utilizing Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) to help them identify and challenge the stressful beliefs that drive self-stigma.

Our program combined inquiry-based stress reduction with creative methodologies like music, dance, and storytelling, fostering a safe environment for emotional resilience and personal growth. Participants reported a newfound sense of control over their emotions and improved confidence in disclosing their status. Our goal is to empower a new generation of local peer facilitators and establish a trusted community to ensure that young people, caregivers, and healthcare workers across Rwanda have the tools to live their lives beyond stigma.

Cross-Country Exchange

Rwanda–Ireland Visit:

In early September 2025, our amazing young participants from Dreams Village, Rwanda, travelled to Ireland to take part in the Grá Mór concert, a celebration of music, connection, and shared humanity. The visit brought together voices from different countries, languages, and lived experiences, united by a shared message: to sing for dignity, healing, and hope.

Over several days, the choirs performed, visited communities, and connected with partners and friends who have supported Beyond Stigma’s journey. The visit, led by Eimear Crehan, supported by Speak Up Speak Out, the wonderfully welcoming communities in both Trim and Kilkock, and amazing choirs, became a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when creativity and compassion meet. It culminated in a memorable evening at the sold-out Grá Mór concert in the National Concert Hall and in an intimate celebratory gig and afterparty in Kilkock.

Reflecting on the experience, Manzi, founder and CEO of Dreams Village, shared, “Singing together reminded us that we are part of something bigger.” Eunice, Alain, and Bienvenu, our incredible singers and musicians, expressed gratitude for the warmth and solidarity they felt throughout their time in Ireland.

The trip remains one of the most moving milestones of the year, a testament to how art and creativity can bridge distance, nurture belonging, and remind us that healing truly happens in community.

Here's to many more!

See photos above and on our social media...