From Kivu Hills Academy to a Bachelor’s Degree in IT
By Christian Turashimye, a Kivu Hills Academy graduate
Today, I reflected on Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” I’m so grateful to Jesus for His faithfulness.
Yesterday was an amazing day as I received my bachelor’s degree in Information Technology at 22 years old. By His grace, what once seemed impossible is now a reality—I’ve graduated! Glory to Jesus! I’m truly thankful to God for this blessing, allowing me to reach this milestone at this stage of my life. I know He will continue to guide and bless me as I pursue my goals, including a master’s degree and, eventually, a Ph.D. Thank you so much for your prayers and kind messages. God bless you!
I studied at Kivu Hills Academy from 2017 to 2019. My first time going there, I crossed Lake Kivu by boat—it felt like a miracle from God. I was one of only six students from outside Boneza, and we were among the first students in the Networking program. It wasn’t easy, but it was an incredible experience.
Kivu Hills Academy is one of the best schools in Rwanda. The leaders from Arise Rwanda and the staff at Kivu Hills supported us so much. I especially want to thank John Gasangwa for the amazing idea of starting Kivu Hills Academy and Arise Rwanda for their continued support for students and the school. They didn’t just help me academically but also helped me grow closer to God. I will always remember the Friday prayer sessions where we prayed together—they really strengthened my faith. Academically, I learned so much about computers and networking, and that knowledge became the foundation for my career.
After finishing high school in 2019, I couldn’t start college in 2020 because of COVID-19. But in 2021, I joined the Adventist University of Central Africa, one of the best universities in Rwanda and one of the most challenging for IT studies. Thanks to what I learned at Kivu Hills, college wasn’t too hard for me. I already had the basics, which helped me finish my degree in just three years instead of four. This was a huge milestone, and I thank God for guiding me.
I’m so grateful to the staff at Kivu Hills Academy and Arise Rwanda for everything they did for me. Special thanks to Greg Yancey, John Gasangwa, Moses Ssenyonjo, and Dusabe Jean Claude for their support throughout my journey. May God bless you all.
