I am Jordan Ruddell (Mbaraga). I came to Rwanda on a 10-day mission trip through my church in New Mexico. I absolutely fell in love with the country and the people. During my last semester at University, I did my teaching internship at an international school in Rwanda. That is where I met my now-husband. During our time at that international school and then at another local international school, we have continued to be inspired by the transformation that education brings to communities, especially communities recovering from tragic circumstances. In Rwanda's case, The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

I received my master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 2019. With my love for education and the most vulnerable, I want to serve Rwandans through education. My heart is for the most vulnerable as they are usually the most overlooked and under-helped, yet Jesus calls us explicitly to serve and help those very people. Building a school will allow us to do just that and bring the love of Jesus to every student who attends the school. Aspire Academy is a school where Jordan and Ivan will leverage their education prowess to provide exceptional opportunities for children from extremely disadvantaged families in the Gitagata community. Aspire is designed to be a well-orchestrated, christ-centred learning environment that will challenge children to excel academically, demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and be lifelong learners with a global mindset and a biblical worldview. Aspire Academy is the first Christian school in the Gitagata community.

I was born and raised in Uganda. Rwanda’s history is quite intricate and a story of a resilient people–fast forward, my family left Rwanda for Uganda in the 1950s. In 2009, I returned to Rwanda after graduating from University, reclaimed my rationality, and started a new chapter of life and teaching at a local international school in Kigali. Two years into it, I had a clear calling and passion for education and its power to transform a life, a community, and an entire generation. There I met Jordan a young and vibrant girl who had just travelled from the US to intern in a different culture at a school where I taught. Fascinating, right? We are now married with four children, and our spark for transforming and impacting lives through education has ever since grown stronger each day.

I have a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences with Education and an MBA in Organizational Leadership and Development from Oklahoma Christian University. For the most recent five years, I have been privileged to serve on the leadership team of a Christian international community school as a Director of Operations. My focus is on translating the school’s vision, mission, and values into internal gears that run the school. (school policies, procedures, systems, and processes). And I have been privileged to serve alongside top educators in the role and in the Christian education industry. I will leverage my network as a launch pad for Aspires’ establishment and leadership.