PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Christelle Umuhoza is the current Program Director for Shooting Touch's international side in Rwanda. Following her undergraduate studies in Uganda (International Business), Christelle was one of fifteen Young Rwanda Leaders selected to receive the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Mandela Washington Fellowship, taking part in a six-week leadership and networking course in the US. With a strong interest in female empowerment, Christelle created a local Rwandan NGO, using music and art therapy to help young girls deal with the emotional aftermath of trauma. With a Masters Degree in International Development Management from the University of Bradford (UK), Christelle's role with Shooting Touch involves management of all staff, fellows, and partnerships, overseeing and reporting on all programmatic activity, conducting and analyzing all monitoring and evaluation methods, and assisting in grants and expansion projects. Prior to Shooting Touch, Christelle worked for World Vision Rwanda on a USDA-funded educational project and World Relief Rwanda on a UNICEF-funded program to combat childhood malnutrition.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR (KAYONZA DISTRICT)

Denise graduated with a degree in Journalism and Communication, Social Studies from the University of Rwanda in 2014. During her high school and university studies, she consistently played high-level basketball, including representing Rwanda in the U18 National Basketball Team in 2012. She went on to play in the Rwanda Basketball League for 6 years, showcasing her talent and passion for the sport. After a successful internship with the Rwanda Basketball League Federation in 2013, she became the 1st official Public Relations Officer of the league in 2015. Her communication skills played a vital role in attracting basketball enthusiasts to the courts and creating a vibrant atmosphere with increased fan attendance. Due to her dedication and hard work, sponsors started showing interest in the league after three years, strengthening the organization’s financial standing. Denise was selected to serve as Assistant Manager of the Federation’s International Basketball Foundation (IBF) basketball project, a 3-year basketball development pilot program. In this new role, she collaborated with coaches in the Western and Southern provinces of Rwanda, contributing to the development of basketball in the regions. Denise decided to switch her career to focus on mentorship for girls and women, joining the nonprofit program Global GLOW in Rwinkwavu Sector, Kayonza. During her time there, she also volunteered as a Shooting Touch coaching assistant and served as a public relations consultant for major Shooting Touch events, leveraging her sports and media expertise to empower others. In early 2023, Denise took on the role of Communication Officer for the local APR Basketball club, before joining Shooting Touch full-time in August as Community Engagement Coordinator in Kayonza. Denise's guiding values of mentorship, respect, discipline, and embracing change demonstrate her commitment to creating a positive impact in the community.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR (BUGESERA DISTRICT)

From an unconventional background, Ingrid is determined to contribute to health equity in order to help everyone achieve their full health potential, regardless of social position or economic circumstances. She took a leap of faith when she left the engineering world to be part of the health sector, and she is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in Public Health. Ingrid’s passion to work on global development issues emerged while volunteering with International Citizen Service (ICS) in 2015. After volunteering, she began her career in the nonprofit sector, working for a variety of local organizations focused on public health issues such as raising awareness about the importance of contraceptives in rural communities. Additionally, Ingrid has experience providing exceptional support to the team at Igihe - a Rwanda-based media outlet - working across departments to ensure tasks were completed successfully and on time. Most recently, Ingrid served in a leadership role at WAKA, a combined fitness, co-working, and event facility in Kigali, where she oversaw the operations and administration department. With her experience and immense interest in making a social impact, Ingrid joined Shooting Touch in January 2023 as a Community Engagement Coordinator. Her motto is “Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.”