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From October 27-31, the Center for Women, Faith & Leadership (CWFL) convened its second international workshop for the 2025 Global Multifaith Fellowship in Kigali, Rwanda. Ten Fellows from Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Romania, Thailand, the United States, and Uzbekistan gathered for a four-day leadership training focused on peacebuilding, reconciliation, and the power of faith-driven leadership in a divided world.

The workshop brought together a unique group of women leaders of diverse faith traditions—Muslim, Protestant, Buddhist, and Catholic Sisters—to explore what it means to live as peacebuilders in broken communities. Through dialogue, reflection, and skill-building, participants deepened their understanding of how identity, faith, and leadership intersect to foster reconciliation and healing.

Rwanda, a nation that has transformed its own story of pain into one of unity and resilience, served as a powerful setting for this gathering. Participants visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, met with local leaders, and engaged in rich conversations about forgiveness, rebuilding, and the role of faith in national healing.

“I couldn’t have imagined the profound impact Rwanda would have on me before I arrived,” said Gulmakai Selah, a 2025 CWFL Fellow. “While I had some background knowledge of the genocide against the Tutsi, nothing truly prepared me for the reality. Once I was on the ground, I was completely blown away by the resilience of the communities. It’s truly inspiring to witness how they are actively rebuilding their nation, centered on the powerful practice of forgiveness and reconciliation.”

Highlights of the workshop included:

• A session on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation led by Jean Michel Habineza, peace practitioner and Founder of iDebate Rwanda, who offered powerful insights into Rwanda’s journey of healing.
• A panel featuring three Rwandan women leaders: Fabiola Wizeye Ngeruka (gender advocate and advisor for gender-based violence at United Nations Population Fund), Marie-Ange Raissa Uwamungu (Founder & Executive Director at Impanuro Girls Initiative), and Erica Gateka Matasi (Co-founder and CEO of Love & Hands)––who shared their experiences as women leading in post-conflict and community development spaces.
• Visits to the Islamic Cultural Center, the Sainte-Famille Catholic Church, and a dialogue with Moses Ndahiro, Chair of the Rwanda Leaders Fellowship, who discussed the vital role of faith in Rwanda’s ongoing reconciliation efforts.

In-between visits to cultural and religious sites, Fellows engaged in training around mentorship, thought leadership, compassion fatigue, and digital media and AI. The sessions were grounded in CWFL’s core pillars of leadership development: Identity Exploration as a Pathway to Resilient Leadership, Skill-Building for Global Leadership Advancement, and Holistic Self-Care for Sustainable Leadership.

Beyond learning and reflection, the workshop fostered a profound sense of sisterhood and community among participants. The Fellows will finalize their capstone projects over the next several weeks and conclude their Fellowship experience in December.