On August 25 and 26, Elie Nduwayesu, founder of Wisdom Schools Rwanda, spent time at CHCA, meeting with teachers, students, and leaders as a partnership between the two schools begins to grow.
Jennifer Cooke, Content Strategy & Communications Manager
This week, CHCA welcomed Elie Nduwayesu, the founder of Wisdom Schools Rwanda, to campus, furthering the potential of a long-term partnership between the two Christian schools.
For two days, Teacher Elie (called so because no matter our degrees or professions, he believes, we are all teachers united in Christ) experienced an in-depth look at CHCA’s approach to education, learning environment, cocurricular programs, and spiritual development.
Melissa Juneau, Director of International Student Programs at CHCA, coordinated the visit and has been an integral part of nurturing continued engagement with both schools.
“In June 2025, I traveled to Kigali, Rwanda, to attend an international conference with the goal of connecting with educational agents who play an essential role in developing relationships between schools and families across Africa,” she shares. “This experience opened the door to my relationship with Wisdom Schools and ultimately led to the opportunity for Elie Nduwayesu to visit CHCA.”
After surviving wrongful imprisonment during the 1990s Rwandan Civil War, Teacher Elie—a lifelong professional educator—founded Wisdom Schools in 2008 with just five students. Since then, the institution has become one of the most prominent schools in the country, serving more than 4,500 students from early childhood through high school across 15 campuses nationwide under its motto “Fearing God is knowledge.” A holistic approach to education that incorporates both Rwandan national curriculum with international best practices has grown students intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually under the Kingdom of God.
While at CHCA, Teacher Elie received tours of each campus, met with program leaders and teachers, and learned more about the school’s theological integration and approach to learning.
A highlight of the visit was his inspirational conversation with seven CHCA high school students, each a spiritual life leader for CHCA’s Upper School House System.
During the lunch and learn, students shared their experience with creating a Christ-centered culture, then listened as Teacher Elie gave a moving presentation on leadership, wisdom, and growing as a person of God. He challenged the students to pursue integrity and devote themselves to reading the Bible daily, as well as beginning each day by answering five questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here? What can I do? Where am I going?
To close, he left the students with this advice: Without faith, nothing is possible.
Juneau and Dr. Terrez Thomas, Principal of Grades 9–12, shared that CHCA and Wisdom Schools are prayerfully considering opportunities for an extended partnership between the schools, including the potential for Rwandan students to visit CHCA and for CHCA students to serve at Wisdom Schools during Intersession trips.
“More than anything,” Juneau says of the visit, “I hope [Elie] witnesses the love of Christ in us, because it is the foundation of who we are and the heart of everything we do at CHCA.”
Photos courtesy of Tammy Rosenfeldt.
