Global Connections is The Kerry Fund's multicultural, collaborative, youth-service program, providing economically disadvantaged teens from Boston Public Schools with the opportunity to travel abroad to connect with, learn from, and share with orphaned teens living at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) in Rwanda.

This annual program offers high school seniors with a unique opportunity for personal and practical growth through global education, multicultural experiences, and service to others. Students participate as charitable givers and experience first-hand the inherent value of giving to those in need. In turn, they explore the depth of personal resources, and are able to envision their futures through a lens of intrinsic strength, meaning, optimism, and giving.

The objectives of the Global Connections program include:

• Global Education accomplished through a series of educational, research and experiential activities focused on the history and culture of people living in Rwanda. This education begins prior to travel, in preparation for their experience, as well as when abroad

• Multi-cultural Perspective gained through international travel. These young participants spend time with, and learn from their peer counterparts, teens living at the ASYV in Rwanda

• The Enlightening Gift of Giving. By leading students towards a spirit of giving, our results have demonstrated the giver will always receive more than they need. A beautiful lesson for peers from geographically diverse parts of the world, both affected by adversity, both experiencing the joy and provision from the act of giving.

• Personal, Practical and Professional Growth through participation in unique, life-changing, service-oriented global education and multi-cultural experiences, our students begin thinking about their futures and many have indicated that they have found a voice for advocacy or impetus for change.

Flourishing in numerous ways, most of the Kerry Fund’s Global Connections program graduates have pursued higher education upon high school graduation. Some of our students have shared their experiences in televised discussions, chaperoned service trips and assumed leadership roles on the Kerry Fund Board. In sum, students have taken their experiences and invaluable insights and used our service trip opportunity as a catalyst for their own futures.

Click the student links on our ambassador page to read what our Global Connections program alumni have to share about their experience and the impact this trip made on them.