Esperance is a non-governmental organisation which was founded in 1996 by a group of young people who had the goals and the objectives to use football as a tool for development. Two years after the genocide, and even today, the Rwanda ethnic groups struggle with the legacy of 1994.
In the search for justice and peaceful coexistence, Esperance bridges the ethnic divides of Rwanda through education and social programmes such as Football for Peace and Anti-AIDS. The organisation uses football not only to reconcile differences within the population, but also to raise awareness of dire issues that face young people and their communities. Football tournaments are run in conjunction with AIDS awareness activities.
Over 10.000 young people are trained on the football field each year and many more partake in other Esperance activities. Participants are not just educated; they are trained to be educators themselves.