Meet Julian, the Founder of The Julian’s Foundation: an organization she started that is providing guidance, fostering resilience, and offering unwavering support to young boys in Rwanda who may be grappling with loss, addiction, early responsibilities or societal pressures. 

“A little boy, if he is raised reminded of who he is, why God has created him, and he grows up confident in that, he will grow up to be a good teenager, to be a good young adult, and to be a great father. I believe that great fathers are the ones that make great families. And it’s from great families that we get great nations.”

Julian was born and raised in Uganda, but she is Rwandan by nationality. Her parents fled Rwanda during the genocide and settled in Uganda. Her father passed away when she was 15 years old, which left her mother to raise Julian, her two sisters, and her one brother on her own. 

While the loss of their father was difficult for the whole family, it was particularly difficult for Julian’s young brother, as he was left without a father figure. It was not until her brother was getting into considerable trouble at school that Julian realized how broken her young brother had been. While seeking ways to help her brother, Julian discovered a large gap in church ministry. While there were many programs to support young girls, women, children and orphans, there were no programs for young boys who were struggling to find their way. This reality became a burden on Julian’s heart, as a passion for young boys was growing inside of her.

Through different experiences, Julian’s passion continued to grow. One time, at a church conference, she heard numerous people share testimonies about being neglected and abused by their fathers. Another time, when attending prison ministry, she noticed that 93% of the inmates were men. She began asking herself the following questions: “Is there something we can do to reduce crime among men? Is there something we can do to train boys to be God-fearing, to adopt Godly masculinity, biblical manhood, not to violate women and children, but to protect them?”

Her career pursuits thus far have also helped to strengthen this passion. For instance, she began working in a rehabilitation center. Here she spent her time talking to the men, encouraging them to be good fathers and sons, and helping them take steps, even while in rehab, to show love to their families. Additionally, Julian has worked for the Ministry of Education, educating and supporting girls around issues of teen pregnancy. However, she began realizing that in order to be truly effective in stopping teen pregnancy, they must also educate and support the boys in similar ways, teaching them to better respect their girl classmates.

Now, Julian lives in Rwanda, and is in the process of starting a nonprofit organization to bring about transformation in the lives of young boys. She is excited to attend the Abundant Leadership Institute as she believes that this program has the tools to help her in what God has called her to do, and she is trusting that God will continue to provide along the way.

Thank you for generously investing in Julian’s Leadership Journey!