About Art For Change
Art for Change Rwanda is a non-governmental organization Committed to transforming the lives of children who have been forced to call the streets home, using the healing and transformative power of art. Founded in 2020 during a time of global uncertainty, the organization was born from a deep conviction, that creativity can reach where words can not restoring dignity, rekindling hope, and opening a path toward a life once thought out of reach for vulnerable children.
We are committed to restoring what the streets take away identity, stability, and hope. reaching children who have been forced into survival at an early age and offering them a structured path toward healing and transformation through creativity.
THE RISE OF ART FOR CHANGE RWANDA
Founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic by Hodari Olivier, a passionate and accomplished visual artist, the organization was born in a time of fear, uncertainty, and deep human struggle. While the world was slowing down, many children in Rwanda was silently suffering especially those living on the streets?
Hodari did not turn away.
He chose to sit with them.
To listen.
To create.
With simple tools paper, colours, music, and open heart he began to connect with children who had been forgotten by society. What he saw was not just hardship, but hidden beauty: talents waiting to be discovered, voices waiting to be heard, and dreams waiting to be reborn.
And slowly, something powerful happened.
Their silence became expression.
Their pain turned into colour.
Their fear transformed into creativity.
They began to believe again:
They are not lost. They are hope.
Our Journey: From Compassion to a Lifeline
What started as a small act of kindness quickly grew into a movement.
Joined by other heartful people, including Gusenga Patrick visual artist, Art for Change Rwanda became a family a community built on love, unity, and shared purpose.
Originally, the vision was to provide educational and vocational opportunities for artistically gifted street children, especially in Musanze. But as the team came closer to the children’s realities, everything changed.
They witnessed:
hunger
Loneliness
Fear
Survival beyond what any child should endure.
And so, the mission grew deeper.
Art for Change Rwanda evolved from an art initiative into a lifeline of care, protection and healing responding not only to creativity but to the urgent human needs of every child.
Why This Matters
Like in many countries, street-involved children are often ignored or punished. We’re trying to change that story. We believe every child deserves to be seen. To be safe. To have a voice. And sometimes, all it takes is a space to belong, a few tools to create and someone who refuses to give up on them.
We do not rush the process.
We build trust.
We honor every story.
We treat every child with patience, dignity, and unconditional love.
Our Mission & Vision
To rebuild the lives of children on the streets, restore and reconcile them with their families, empowering them to become productive.
Children formally living on the streets holistically transformed into productive and responsible persons in society.
