Statements
Mission
Founded by refugees for refugees, Legacy's mission is to provide hope and healing to refugees in the Middle Tennessee area by empowering refugees with education and skills to achieve stability and thereby facilitating successful integration into American society.
Background
Legacy Mission Village began in 2011, founded by friends in faith living in Nashville, Tennessee. These friends shared a passion for service and a common goal to live their lives honoring Jesus Christ and to leave a legacy of mission of our Lord Jesus Christ for the next generation. While our inspiration for serving is our Christian faith, Legacy Mission Village welcomes all -- every creed, ethnicity, or faith, whether volunteer or client -- as we serve refugee individuals and families in our local community, as well as in East Africa.
Legacy Mission Village was born out of a ministry of service to refugees, founded by William Mwizerwa, who currently serves as Executive Director today. Personally displaced by the Rwandan conflict in 1996, William arrived in Nashville in 1998. The Mwizerwa family began their initial ministry to refugees in 2000, under the umbrella of another local non-profit organization. The ministry began out of his unique understanding of a refugee's needs to reach out to fellow refugees in our community. Over time, what began as a personal mission grew to become a village of Nashvillians reaching an ever-increasing population of refugees from around the world, engaging whole families with broad and far-reaching services. Legacy Mission Village officially launched as a Christian ministry in 2011 and achieved its 501(c)3 non-profit status in January 2012. Our organization relies on the generous contributions of our supporters and the selfless efforts of our volunteers.
Impact
In Middle Tennessee:
60 adult refugees attend English classes weekly
30 adult refugees attend Citizenship classes each weekly
70 adult refugees have attended the Citizenship class and are now citizens
24 refugee children attend the Kindergarten Readiness Program
20 immigration applications are completed each month
21 seniors graduated high school with the assistance of the Journey After-School program. 79 high school students are currently enrolled in the program.
450 refugee children receive an emergency supply of diapers each month
In East Africa:
Partner with the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda to support and fund the Itetero Special Needs School in Rwanda serving 20 students. Providing education, health, and family support.
Sponsor health care insurance for 400 individuals in rural Rwanda
Needs
Upon arriving in the United States, refugees are eligible for modest governmental assistance. This assistance is hardly enough to offset the adversity they immediately. Funding for newly resettled refugees expires after just three to eight months. After these initial services, refugees must become self-sufficient. For example, refugees must attain proficiency in English, job skills and computer skills. They must navigate myriad bureaucratic processes, such as obtaining a driver's license and insurance, accessing healthcare, navigating the school system, and understanding laws. After overcoming these obstacles, refugees must earn enough to pay for housing, food, and other expenses. Making the transition to a new life in the United States, one that is fraught with many challenges. Unemployment and stress levels can increase dramatically during this time, and in spite of demonstrated demand, the services and resources available to refugees in Nashville are few. Legacy provides refugees with supportive services and education classes for children, teens, and adults. Located in the heart of the refugee community, Legacy has developed significant relationships with the refugee communities and has been instrumental in helping refugees adjust to life in their new country.
CEO Statement
Unexpected moments happened in our lives. The greatest of these is our story about forgiveness, healing, and restoration. After fleeing our homeland, Rwanda to escape the ethnic genocide we found new hope in Nashville. We believe we miraculously survived the Rwandan genocide because God saved us for the sole purpose of helping others. And for sure with love, grace, and humbleness we are happy that we have changed the lives of more than 12,000 refugees (adults, youth, and children) here in Nashville at Legacy Mission Village. I invite you to join the work we are doing here in Nashville and across the world in Africa. In His service, William Mwizerwa Founder and Executive Director " If we really want to love, we must learn to forgive." ~Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Board Chair Statement
Legacy meets a critical need for the refugee population in Nashville. Forced to flee their homes for religious beliefs, ethnic violence, or other issues, their only option was to stay in refugee camps for years with extremely limited resources. When refugees arrive in Nashville, their needs are immense - financial, emotional, cultural & spiritual. LMV's goal is to not only meet these needs but help them integrate into the community. We accomplish this through educational programs and supportive services. LMV is uniquely qualified because of the personal story of our founding family, William and Ebralie Mwizerwa. As survivors of the Rwandan genocide, they have experienced firsthand the reality faced by the refugees. They have now dedicated their lives to helping these new families. Refugees come here for only one thing: opportunity. Most refugees are thankful to their new country for giving them the opportunity to restart their lives. While I serve as Board Chair of LMV, I also volunteered in an English class. I met a Congolese man that spoke no English, but we communicated in French. He was headmaster at a school in Congo prior to fleeing violence. He, his wife & 4 children lived in a refugee camp in Rwanda for 10 years. They quickly found jobs in Nashville. This former headmaster became a dishwasher & his wife a hotel maid. They never complained that these jobs. Instead, they were proud of the opportunity to work to support their family. Their oldest son wanted to join the Marines to repay his new country. Unfortunately, the Marines required an HS diploma. When William heard this, he found a program that offered GED classes. The son was able to enter the program, graduated in less than a year and joined the Marines. The parents work hard to earn a living, and their children have earned an education so that they can serve their new country. This family may have origins in the Congo, but they represent the greatest qualities of American values. As an American and chairman of LMV, I want to do everything I can to support refugee families. This family's story is an example of the spirit of so many we serve. Imagine the fear and confusion when they arrive here. And yet, with the help of LMV, it is inspiring how quickly they adapt & become productive members of society. They have so much to offer us, and their abilities to overcome adversity while maintaining such a sense of optimism never ceases to amaze and inspire me. I am honored to serve LMV with my time and financial resources. I know that we are great stewards of the donations we receive and that we stretch those resources to serve as many as we can, as effectively as we can. There is so much more we can do to serve this vulnerable community.
One of our limitations is financing. For many organizations, the people they serve, or the friends and families of the people they serve, develop a heart for the program and become supporters of the program. Given the population we serve, there is a limited opportunity to develop this support base. With these financial challenges, our goal is to continually share with the greater Nashville community about what an asset the refugee community is to Nashville. We hope others will join the Village to be a volunteer and to give financially.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Human Services - Ethnic/Immigrant Services |
| Secondary Category: | Education - Educational Services |
| Tertiary Category: | Youth Development - Youth Development Programs |
Areas Served
We serve refugees resettled in the Middle TN Area and different vulnerable communities in East Africa; Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.
| TN - Davidson |
| International |
| TN - Rutherford |
