FREDERICK NDABARAMIYE

Frederick Ndabaramiye is a Rwandan artist, speaker, and author. Frederick is Co-founder of the Ubumwe Community Center (ubumwecommunitycenter.rw), a school and center which provides children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to receive educational and vocational services. Frederick and his wife have two children.

In 1994, when Frederick was a boy, his country was in the midst of a genocide in which more than one million Rwandans lost their lives. Three years later, as a result of post-genocide violence, Frederick lost his hands in an unprovoked machete attack. At his young age, Frederick lived through hell... and at the same time he saw miracles on a daily basis. He witnessed brutal killings and experienced his hands being cut off, but survived. He was hospitalized for a whole year, separated from his surviving family members. Frederick then spent the next several years in the Imbabazi Orphanage... which would eventually provide opportunities that would change his life.

As a part of his recovery, Frederick was forced to re-learn even the most basic life skills. He had to learn to feed, bathe and dress himself without hands. Frederick was determined to overcome all of these challenges so that he could live as independently as possible. When first learning to hold a pencil with both arms, Frederick drew a butterfly. The butterfly, which is so representative of Frederick's new life, became the "springboard" which began his love of painting, using various mediums. Now an accomplished artist, Frederick has shared his artwork around the world.

During his years in the orphanage, Frederick along with his friend and former teacher, Zacharie Dusingizimana, began dreaming of the day when they could open a school to help children with disabilities. With the support of Jack Hanna and "Partners In Conservation" at the Columbus Zoo, the dream that Frederick and Zacharie once shared became a reality. In 2006, they opened the Ubumwe Community Center, in the town of Gisenyi, Rwanda. In 2014, Frederick wrote a book titled Frederick: A Story of Boundless Hope (Thomas Nelson Publishing), where he shares his story and the roles that faith, hope and forgiveness have played in his life and healing.

Throughout his difficult journey, Frederick feels that he has survived by the love of God, the love of other people... and the kindnesses that they have shown him. Frederick has chosen to devote his life to helping others. His life demonstrates his belief that it is through faith, hope and love that we are all able to forgive, and to open the door to God so that He can paint His masterpiece on the canvas of each of our lives.