Image Courtesy of Hope Africa University
One of the gems of our church is our nursing programs in Central Africa, especially at Hope Africa in Burundi. We have nursing schools at Kibagora Hospital in Rwanda, Nundu in Congo, as well as a large University level course at Hope Africa in Congo.
When our church brought modern medicine to central Africa, there were medical missionaries and nurses, and eventually nursing schools followed. Now we have Christian Medical Schools, including our FM one in Burundi, Hope Africa.
Our April issue featured an article about the nursing department at Hope Africa, which can be accessed here. The article detailed the history of the baccalaureate program, and if you’re curious about the students that graduated, you can read about the spirit of our Hope Africa Graduates here, in an article written by Dr. Randy Bond last year.
Eric Manirakiza is the director of the nursing program program at Hope Africa, who, along with graduating from the first undergraduate program at Hope Africa University, has graduated from HSU’s first Master’s class, and has obtained his second Master’s Degree in Nursing from Roberts Wesleyan College. He plans to pursue his doctorate in Nursing Leadership at Spring Arbor University, and to read more about him, his work, and help him obtain his doctorate click here. Eric shared some more information about the Nursing Program at Hope Africa university in an update:
Q: Around how many students graduate from Hope Africa University each year?
An average of 50 students graduate each year
Q: How many are in the graduate program?
62 students
Q: What careers have these students gone on to?
Ministry of Public Health with its different departments and program, National
Public Health Institute, Hospitals, Health Centers and Clinics (Public and Private)
around the Country include Van Norman Clinic and Kibuye Hope Hospital, HAU,
Kibogora in Rwanda, Schools, etc…
Q: How does the nursing program compare to other majors at HAU?
The nursing program is one the most important programs at HAU. It had trained
students from several nationalities: Haiti, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon, Rwanda,
Kenya, Burundi, Tchad, DRC. In 2021 and 2022 , we admitted more than 100
students each year.