29.04.2025

Discovering New Fellowship in UEM

Impundu (left) and Nkurikiyumukizu (right) are going to bring their ideas, their questions and their competence to the Mission House. Photo by: Johannes Schermuly, UEM

Two new volunteers have arrived at the German office of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM): Akanyana Impundu and Emmanuel Nkurikiyumukizu will support UEM’s work in Wuppertal during the next twelve months. They are members of our member church EAR* in Rwanda and take part in the South-North Volunteer program. Here, young adults from member churches in Asia and Africa support a German member church for a year, gaining new experiences and bringing the gifts they have into their workplaces.

Akanyana Impundu, member of EAR Diocese of Cyangugu, obtained a Bachelor in Community Health and worked in the sector for a couple of years. She will now join the Department International Diaconia, which organizes a diverse range of activities, among them the study course IMADM. Rev Godwin Ampony, Head of International Diaconia, welcomed the two volunteers in the morning devotion and asked for God’s blessing during their service in Wuppertal. When asked about her best experience with UEM so far? “I would say, it’s the people here. They are very kind and supportive, and really give you a positive feeling for the days to come!”

Emmanuel Nkurikiyumukizu is Anglican, too – he is a member of EAR Shyogwe Diocese in Muhanga. After High School he started studying construction. Now he decided to work as a volunteer in the House and Ground’s Team. Together with Team Leader Ralf Nix and the other members of the team, he will repair and maintain the Mission House and take good care of the garden spaces around the house. He noticed an interesting difference between UEM and other NGO’s he has worked with in Rwanda: “In UEM, there is actually time for worship in the morning. The staff come together in their working time for a morning devotion.”

After work, Nkurikiyumukizu likes to go for a walk, explore Wuppertal and it’s garden area “Hardt” next to his house. Impundu takes her free time to relax and accommodate herself in this new context.

We wish both of them all the best in their new working positions and God’s blessings for their volunteers’ service in the Mission House.

12 volunteers have been starting their year in one of the german member churches since April. More information about our volunteer programme you will find here.

*EAR = Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda (Anglican Church of Rwanda)