Between April and June of 1994 in Rwanda, Hutu militia groups engaged in brutal mass killings of Tutsis and Tutsi sympathizers, killing approximately 800,000 people in a span of 100 days. Women were subjected to a widespread campaign of rape which led to the births of an estimated 20,000 children. These children were not orphans, nor considered survivors, because they were born after the genocide.

In 2007, photojournalist Jonathan Torgovnik documented the harrowing experiences of over 30 Tutsi women genocide survivors with children born from genocidal rapes. These women often lived in deep poverty and isolation, having lost either their families to the genocide or been shunned by their communities due to the stigma of rape and bearing a child of the militia. While their relationships with their children, now known as second-generation survivors, were often complex, each woman expressed a deep desire for her child to receive an education.

Torgovnik and Jules Shell originally founded Foundation Rwanda to empower these families by providing holistic support to mothers and second- generation survivors, including secondary school, vocational training, and trauma counseling.

Today, Foundation Rwanda is a movement working to break the cycle of poverty and empower over 1,650 survivors by providing support for educational opportunities and vocational training; providing income-generating and financial literacy programs and small business innovation grants; linking their families to mental health, medical, and social support services; and creating awareness about the consequences of genocide and sexual violence through photography and new media.

Second-generation survivors face intergenerational trauma and significant challenges related to the circumstances of their births. Foundation Rwanda’s Community Counseling Initiative is the first of its kind in Rwanda and is a collaboration between international and Rwandese psychologists and counselors.

McDermott Will & Schulte has supported Foundation Rwanda’s mission since its start in 2007. We set up Foundation Rwanda as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, helping the Foundation bring its strategic mission-driven vision to life. We have served as steadfast counsel, working hand-in-hand with Foundation Rwanda ever since.

“McDermott Will &Schulte has been there since Foundation Rwanda’s inception in 2007 — helping us to grow as a grassroots organization and providing expert legal advice every step of the way. Fifteen years later and over 1,700 Rwandan beneficiaries empowered, their unwavering commitment to justice and their innovative approach have allowed Foundation Rwanda to thrive beyond our wildest dreams.”
– Jules Shell, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Foundation Rwanda