Rwanda-Canada Students Connect: Learning, Growing, and Serving Together

“Rwanda has ingrained itself in my heart in a way I never would have expected. Each and every moment I spent sharing, serving, and connecting with the local people is one I will cherish forever.”

– Alex, Pacific Academy Student Council President

Partnership is a value that has always been central at Wellspring, and in March 2026 this value was expressed in a new, exciting, and meaningful way.

We were delighted to welcome thirteen Grade 11 and 12 students from Pacific Academy, a school in British Columbia, Canada, who spent two weeks in Rwanda on a practical educational trip facilitated by Wellspring. This was a purposeful opportunity for students to step into a different educational and social context to serve, to learn, to engage, and to see God’s work in a different part of the world.

LEARNING TOGETHER AS YOUNG STUDENTS

During their visit, students travelled to the western part of Rwanda, in Rubavu District, where they visited two of Wellspring’s partner schools.

Alongside their Rwandan peers, Pacific Academy students engaged in a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) session, which is a core part of Wellspring’s holistic education program. The Pacific Academy students had a chance to experience the Rwandan school setting firsthand, while also observing the SEL session, understanding its purpose, and hearing directly from Rwandan students about how SEL is helping them build self-awareness, emotional regulation, resilience, character, and life skills.

The exchange was genuinely two-sided. Rwandan students as well had the opportunity to interact with their Canadian peers, learning about their education system, hearing about the challenges they navigate, and discovering both the differences and the surprising similarities across their two contexts. Students from both countries also shared their cultures through songs, dances, and games.

“We were truly happy to welcome the Pacific Academy students to our school and to engage in all the activities together,” said the Head Teacher. “It was the first time our school hosted students from another continent, marking an important moment in our school’s growth. Watching students exchange cultures, play together, and build friendships was a wonderful experience for our entire school community.”

FROM OBSERVATION TO PARTICIPATION

The students’ experience was designed to go well beyond observation, as we intentionally invited students into the rhythm of real, everyday life in Rwanda.

As part of Rwandan schools’ ongoing national campaign, “Fresheri ku Ishuri”, an initiative to emphasize cleanliness in school environments, students from both continents worked together and cleaned school compounds, mopped classrooms, washed windows, and planted flowers. 

Students also learned about the government’s school feeding program and how schools use locally available resources to support the nutritional needs of their students. In response, they worked alongside Rwandan students and community members in the school gardens, digging and planting cabbages to directly contribute to this program.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY: A HEART FOR SERVICE

Service was at the core of the Pacific Academy students’ trip and nowhere was this more evident than in Nyamasheke District.

There, the students partnered with a local community to help repair an elderly woman’s home. Together, they mudded the house—singing as they worked, and demonstrating effort, coordination, and a genuine willingness to serve. For every student, it was their first time doing this kind of work, and their heart of service and generosity shone through.

“‘Umuganda’ became more than just a new word for us. It became a lived experience as we discovered the power of working side by side both in community and for community.” – Colleen, Head of School

UNDERSTANDING RWANDA’S JOURNEY: HISTORY, CULTURE, AND PROGRESS

Besides service and school engagement, the visit helped students to gain a deeper understanding of Rwanda’s history, culture, and ongoing transformation.

A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial marked a reflective moment for them. There, students learned about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and were introduced to Rwanda’s journey toward unity, justice, and reconciliation.

For many, this moment invited reflection and responsibility and challenged students to consider how history shapes identity, and what it means to carry forward lessons of resilience and humanity.

At the same time, students experienced a different dimension of Rwanda through their time in Kigali. The city’s growth, organization, and forward-looking vision offered a perspective of a nation actively shaping its future.

EDUCATION BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: SHARED EXPERIENCE, LASTING IMPACT 

Students’ experiences extended beyond classrooms and community work into moments of connection through cultural exchange, sports, and group activities.

Canadian and Rwandan students joined together in sports activities; football, catch a flag, and parachute games that fostered shared enjoyment, strengthened relationships, and created a truly immersive experience.

The experience reinforced that while education systems may differ, shared experiences create common ground and deeper understanding of different worldviews.

Ultimately, this visit reflects what Wellspring believes education can and should be: not an individual pursuit, but a shared responsibility. One that is built on partnership, grounded in real-world experience, and capable of shaping how young people understand both their local and global contexts.