A Rwandan father who overcomes poverty is dedicated to empowering vulnerable youth

While attending his church in Rusizi, Rwanda, Bahati Jean Felix noticed two men deep in prayer and he felt compelled to learn more about them. When he discovered they worked for Urwego Finance, HOPE International’s microfinance institution in Rwanda, it struck a chord.

“I was surprised to learn that Urwego was actually a financial institution built on Christian values,” Felix recalls. “Knowing that I shared the same faith and beliefs, I felt a strong conviction to join.”

At the time, Felix was running a small restaurant, but the business was barely surviving. Profits were thin, and his ability to support his wife, children, and other family members felt increasingly difficult.

Impossible dreams become reality

With his first loan of $5,000 in 2017, Felix purchased the materials he needed to improve his restaurant. A second loan of $6,000 allowed him to expand. Little by little, his struggling business transformed.

Today, Felix owns multiple restaurants, a boutique, rental properties, a lodge, and a coffee shop. “This growth not only increased my income but also transformed my family’s life,” he says. “Today, we own our home, and all our children attend quality schools. What once seemed out of reach has now become possible.”

But beyond his own family’s flourishing, success gave Felix something invaluable: the ability to use the blessings God had given him to help others in his community thrive.

Empowering vulnerable youth through business

“I have always had a heart for street children,” Felix recalls.

Growing up, he had seen young people struggling to survive on the streets without opportunity or hope. Moved with compassion, Felix knew that he would do something to change that if God ever gave him the chance.

That chance came when his business took off. Still motivated by the same Christian values that first drew him to Urwego, Felix began hiring young people who were living on the street. Many became employees in his businesses, earning a stable income for the first time.

“It wasn’t always easy,” says Felix, “but with patience and faith, I watched them transform. They learned skills, found confidence, and, most importantly, rediscovered their worth.”

More than 50 young men and women, once uncertain of their place in the world, now have the dignity of meaningful work. Some have even moved on to respected hotels, carrying with them the knowledge and discipline Felix instilled in them.

A plan to scale business and generosity

Felix’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed in his community. In early 2025, he was recognized by Rwanda’s Ministry of Youth and Sports for his dedication to empowering vulnerable youth.

Even with his achievements, Felix’s vision continues to grow. With his next loan from Urwego, he plans to launch a baking business and purchase a catering vehicle. He has also bought land to expand his restaurant operations to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. At the heart of his plans is a commitment to training and equipping 200 more youth living in poverty.

“What fills me with the greatest joy is seeing their success go beyond my doors,” Felix says. “Knowing that my small act of kindness has set them on a path to a brighter future—that is the true reward.

Pictured in header image: Felix (right) with employees from one of his restaurants, Rwanda