Meet Achille Karuletwa

However, with my Father's unwavering commitment to succeed in life and my Mother's infinite love for us and others, I can proudly say that they nurtured us in a manner that shunned us from a life of despair or lacking and in so many ways groomed and equipped us for the real world.

In the midst of all this was my first BMX in the 80s and later in the same decade, my first Raleigh 21 speed Road Race bike, my trophy collector … my wings, for I truly believed that I could fly.

I am eternally grateful to my parents and more so, to those that extended 'a hand up' to them, rather than 'a hand out'.

Indeed, we were among the privileged few children in countries that have exposed their citizens or residents to decades of war and suffering and it is for this very reason that I will always strive to be an agent of positive change.

Happily married to my dear wife Phyllis and with whom me we have two beautiful children, Naome seven and Nigel four, we continue to search for our true purpose in life.

Phyllis and I owned a service business in 1998 to 2004, whose business model was really to help others succeed by tailoring business services to our customers through a business hosting concept. Two years into it we had to try and sell a reasonably successful business and move on, due to the political misunderstandings that my home country Rwanda and my host country Uganda, were having in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Business took a sudden twist and other unforeseen issues came up regards some of our foreign clients, the picture got too messy and all we wanted was out.

After traveling to the US so many times, in search of a new beginning or as a strategy to buy time for better times, with Phyllis looking at pursuing her Masters and myself a degree, we were blessed with our first child and as life sometimes requires, we hang in there.

In 2002 we visited Canada and hoped to pursue the further education we were bent on achieving, especially in Canada, as the costs were more affordable than in the US.

While visiting Canada, we also discovered a very beautiful and very virgin country, one that had an incredible approach to cultural diversity and an amazing opportunity for doing business when the time was right. Oh, we also discovered VERY COLD weather.

However, once again we were blessed with a child and all our plans were put off and 100% effort put into selling our business.

After an unforeseen accident in July of 2003, on my way to Rwanda from Uganda, we had to finally cut our losses and just close the business due to reasons beyond our control and my inability to walk and do things. I was in a wheel-chair and totally demoralized.

After nursing my injuries in South Africa and flying my family across the World to be with me, we decided to resurrect our plans to immigrate to Canada. Just under a year later, in December 2004 when I had began walking and was now only on one crutch, we decided to travel as we only had two months to go before our visas expired.

This rather strange lifestyle enriched our ability to adapt, something that has now prepared us for the future.

In 2005, with my injuries reduced to bare-able pains, We started a business in Canada and went back to tailoring services for companies. We tailored business solutions for some Shoppers Drug Mart stores and organised a Rwandan Coffee Sector tour for a new friend, Craig, after he hosted the Rwandese Ambassador to Canada in his home town / city, Almonte.

His Excellency Paul Kagame and the rest of his Administration have done an amazing job in rebuilding Rwanda and instilling hope for better times in its people.

The Board of Directors of Project Rwanda has been attracted to Rwanda because of the above mentioned and now for the first time ever, my family and I have a chance to give back to my home country, as a Country Director for a project that has and will continue to transform and empower many Rwandese' lives, through a simple and earth friendly innovation … the bicycle.

“Isn't it funny how the thing that gave me the most joy in my youth has shown up again to help me find my true purpose in life”?

My thanks go to those at Project Rwanda for allowing me this wonderful opportunity.