Hello, my name is Emanuel Manirarora, and I serve as the Country Co-Coordinator of AZAHAR Foundation, Rwanda. I am also a wellness trainer and yoga teacher with AZAHAR Rwanda. I deeply value my work here because it not only serves my community in meaningful ways but also aligns closely with my personal values and life purpose.
AZAHAR’s mission, promoting peace, empowering young people and women, and creating livelihood opportunities for youth, inspires me. Our work fosters community healing, supports peacebuilding, and helps people recover from trauma while improving their physical and mental well-being. We partner with various organizations and work with diverse groups, including youth, women, and elderly genocide survivors.
Together, we have witnessed remarkable transformations: people reporting improved health, greater social connection, and deeper self-awareness. Personally, I have been touched by the practices we share, especially trauma-informed approaches such as Breath-Body-Mind and trauma-informed yoga. These methods are inclusive, culturally adaptable, and accessible, which makes them well-received in our community. Many beneficiaries report better sleep as a major benefit. I can relate, having struggled with insomnia for five years, yoga helped me gradually restore healthy sleep patterns.
In Rwanda, insomnia and other mental health challenges often stem from stress, trauma, and anxiety. Research from the Ministry of Health and the Rwanda Biomedical Center shows that one in five people in Rwanda lives with a mental health condition, with depression and trauma being the most common. These issues are prevalent among the people we support, but our wellness programs offer hope and healing.
Trauma often leads to psychosomatic illnesses like high blood pressure, blood sugar imbalances, chronic pain, and insomnia. By teaching practices that help regulate the nervous system, particularly the parasympathetic nervous system, we see improvements across other bodily systems. Beneficiaries report stabilized blood sugar and blood pressure, increased physical strength, improvement in joint mobility, increased confidence, stress relief, renewed hope, and a stronger sense of belonging.
This is why the work of AZAHAR Foundation in Rwanda means so much to me and my community. I see an urgent need to train more community wellness coaches in yoga, Breath-Body-Mind, and other mindfulness approaches, so we can expand the positive impact of this work across the country.
