Our Core Values
The following are the values that guide us in our daily activities.
Truth
Freedom
Fraternity
Tolerance
Patriotism
Who We Are
We design all in one tech solution for the complex needs of the capital management industry.
Father Théogène IYAKAREMYE
Founder of AJECL (Association pour les Jeunes de Saint Charles Lwanga)
AJECL stands for “Association pour les Jeunes de Saint Charles Lwanga” customized in English as Association for Youths of Saint Charles Lwanga. It is a nonprofit organization established in October 2004 in the District of Nyarugenge, City of Kigali, by Abbé Théogène IYAKAREMYE with a group of young people of the Nyamirambo Parish under the encouragement of the late Father GASANA Emmanuel, who was the parish priest.
AJECL obtained legal personality in 2008 through Ministerial Decree No. 58/11, dated 18/04/2008, published in the J.O. No. 4 of January 26, 2009. It was registered with the Rwanda Governance Board on June 11, 2013. AJECL has been created with the purpose of providing its contribution to the implementation of solutions to problems facing the Rwandan society.
In this perspective, it invests its efforts in the revitalization of youth as a category of the vulnerable population so that they can play a significant role in the socio-economic development of the country, inspired by the life of Saint Charles Lwanga, a Ugandan Martyr appointed by the Catholic Church as universal patron and model of African youth.
The long-term aim is to have, in the future, mature citizens able to withstand all kinds of manipulation and exploitation; citizens who can fight by non-violent means for peace, justice, and progress for all.
To this end, AJECL intends to better align its programs to contribute to addressing the challenges faced by the youth navigating across the context of complex and interconnected crises: insecurity, economic crisis, climate-related crisis, etc.
With its strategic plan (2026-2030), AJECL deliberately designs and articulates its programs to innovatively deliver impact in line with the “Rwanda We Want-Vision 2050”, the constitution of Rwanda, the National strategy for transformation- NST2 priorities, the Sustainable Development Goal, and the UN Youth Peace and Security Agenda.
Building on its experiences, successes, best practices, and lessons learned over the past 21 years, AJECL is aiming to achieve scaled impact across its core programmatic areas:
- Youth peacebuilding and civic participation
- Youth entrepreneurship and job creation
- Education for the most vulnerable
- Networking and partnership development
About Charles Lwanga
Our Role Model
Charles Lwanga was a Ugandan born on 1 January 1860 and died on 3 June 1886 following a rage persecution against Ugandans converted to Christianism. He was a young man of outstanding fitness and enjoyed playing catch. Born a leader, since he joined the royal court, he inspired his fellows -irrespective their background and status- and gained trust from the king. He graduated from a servant to a chief of the royal pages and later major-domo in the court under the kingship of King Mwanga II of Buganda.
In Uganda, the year of 1879 witnessed a spreading wind of Catholic faith following the engagement of a congregation of White Fathers, founded by Cardinal Lavigerie. The king Mwanga II saw the Christianism as a menace to his ruthless rule and acts of homosexuality against young pages. The furious king forced all converted and baptized Ugandans to leave their faith as a matter of being accomplices of the foreigners, but it was late as they were even prepared to die for Christ.
Seven years later, on 15 November 1885, the night of the martyrdom of Joseph Mukasa, Lwanga realized that their own lives were in danger, Lwanga and some of the other pages went to the White Fathers to receive baptism. Lwanga and others were baptized by Pere Lourdel and he took the name of Charles.
One chilly day, the King warned his people to do not follow or even approach and listen to white missionaries; Lwanga replied: “You mean that the White men want to overtake your throne, but you misunderstand, the religion they preach calls us to be your loyal servants and you better know that since long I have been your trustworthy servant ready to die for you”. Lwanga preached the Gospel Therefore, this is how a young man of 25 years old dedicated his whole being to Jesus Christ, the only Son of God and a Savior of the whole humanity. The remarkable thing is how Lwanga interiorized the Holy Gospel and proclaimed it despite the hardship of the time.
One day, the royal courts took fire and the King displaced to Munyonyo near Lake Victoria. The King under the auspices of royal witches accused the Christians to be responsible of the fire as fallout of betraying the ancestors’ spirits. In a bloodless morning of 26 June 1986, the King censused all servants converted to Christ and order that they die under fire as it was a customized punished for everyone who disobeyed or betrayed the kingdom.
Seven days after the screening, a convoy of royal militias escorted Lwanga and his fellows to horror locality of Namugongo. Along the road to Namugongo, they were singing and praising the Lord until the last breath in the morning of 3 June 1886. This day, Lwanga and other martyrs wrote their names in the book of life. Lwanga was canonized on 18 October 1964 by Pope Paul VI during the Vatican II conference. He is the patron and model of African Youth.
. Vision .
AJECL aspires to “a society in which lives youth with integrity, dignity and apostle of peace; youth imbued with human, civic and moral values, allowing it be able to make a free critical judgment to what society says or does like Saint Charles Lwanga “.
. Objectives .
To educate young people with human, moral and civic values, enabling them to discern and choose in all circumstances what is good and dignified without being diverted by illusory promise or by moral or physical threats, just like the young martyrs of Uganda under the direction of Charles Lwanga.
. Mission .
AJECL mission is to educate young people to become mature citizens, capable of resisting all kinds of manipulation and exploitation; able to fight by non-violent means for peace, justice; and for integrated socio-economic progress for all”.
AJECL’s STRATEGIC GOALS 2026-2030
Overall Strategic Goal 1: Empower young people to become active citizen, agents of peace and positive social change in their communities through enhanced conflict resolution and civic engagement capacity.
Overall Strategic Goal 2: Unlock the economic potential of young people by building entrepreneurial mindsets, skills, and access to resources necessary for sustainable self-employment and job creation.
Overall Strategic Goal 3: Contribute to equitable access to quality, relevant, and inclusive education for the most marginalized and vulnerable children and youth, enabling them to reach their full potential.
Overall Strategic Goal 4: Build and leverage strategic partnerships, networks, and alliances that amplify organizational impact, enhance resource mobilization, strengthen advocacy efforts, and contribute to sector-wide collaboration and learning.
