our global team
in rwanda
EVODE & Becky USABYAMORO,
co-founders
Evode Usabyamahoro grew up in Rwanda as a street child himself. In 2003 he started an initiative to help kids living on the street by organizing events, and food and clothing donations through local charities and churches. Becky met Evode in 2008 and founded the charity in England in order to support and maintain the Ubaka U Rwanda center. In October 2010, she moved to Rwanda permanently to help Evode run the center. Evode and Becky are there for the children every day and night, fully committed to seeing each child all the way. Happily married, Becky and Evode have two children together, Keza and Caleb. Becky has a BS from Goldsmiths College, University of London in Psychology.
In the united states
Shaun Sullivan
Founder, US Chapter
Board trustee
Shaun started volunteering at Ubaka U Rwanda in 2010 and formed a deep connect with Evode and the boys. He founded the US branch of Ubaka U Rwanda and our primary fundraiser, Run the 1. Formerly a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service on the Arroyo Grande Hotshot, he is now part of the Alaska smokejumpers. This type of seasonal work has allowed Shaun to continue to return to Rwanda every year for multiple months since 2010. When in Rwanda, Shaun lives at the center, and volunteers to help in any way he can.
Ali Zikratch,
board trustee
Ali became involved with the cause in 2012. She heard about the center through the fundraiser Shaun was holding, and decided she wanted to help out. Since then, she has continuously been inspired by the movement Shaun has started and the wonderful work being done with the boys. Ali has a BS in Business Marketing from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California and owns an event planning company focused around non-profits. She teamed up with Shaun and helped create Run the 1, our primary fundraiser. She was able to make her way to Africa in February of 2015 to meet the boys and witness the progress and change we are able to influence.
Sunish Oturkar,
Board Trustee
Sunish has been supporting Ubaka U Rwanda since Shaun started the US branch. He and Shaun became passionate about making a difference in genocide-ridden regions after being made aware of the atrocities that were happening in Sudan over ten years ago. He visited the center in Kigali in 2013 to meet Evode, Rebecca, and all of the boys, including Clever, who he has been sponsoring since 2011.
Devon kuntzman,
Board Trustee
Devon first learned about Ubaka U Rwanda, when she met Shaun, in Rwanda, in 2011. On her next trip down the mountainside to Kigali, Shaun introduced Devon to the center and the boys. She has been a supporter ever since! During the 3 years that Devon lived in Rwanda, working as the Executive Director of the Imbabazi Foundation, she visited Ubaka U Rwanda often to volunteer and spend time with the boys, Becky and Evode.