{"id":653,"date":"2025-03-17T06:53:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T06:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cherito-demo.local\/?page_id=653"},"modified":"2025-12-23T20:33:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T20:33:02","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/?page_id=653","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"653\" class=\"elementor elementor-653\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a379fcb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a379fcb\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2071d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"b2071d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ac726b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7ac726b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41d9150 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"41d9150\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-839d2a1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"839d2a1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Heart of Our Work<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8ce2cb1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8ce2cb1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">As a global humanitarian leader, <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"33\">GAP<\/b> stands at the intersection of crisis and opportunity. While our roots are in <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"114\">Australia<\/b>, our heart beats across Africa, with strategic offices in <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"182\">Kenya and Rwanda<\/b> overseeing life-changing programs in <b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"236\">Burundi and Congo.<\/b><\/p><p data-path-to-node=\"11\">We recognize that the greatest burden of a refugee is the loss of agency in a foreign land. That is why our work\u2014particularly our specialized projects in <b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"154\">Kenya<\/b>\u2014focuses on <b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"171\">financial independence.<\/b> Our mission is to transform lives by providing the tools for refugees to become the architects of their own futures. At GAP, we don&#8217;t just provide aid; we restore the human spirit, changing the global perception of refugees from people in need to people of power and purpose.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e70703b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e70703b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1676f4e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1676f4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"373\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tailoring-3.jpg?resize=600%2C373&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5930\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tailoring-3.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tailoring-3.jpg?resize=570%2C354&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tailoring-3.jpg?resize=300%2C187&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9729aa6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9729aa6\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4eaa383 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4eaa383\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Our Journey of Impact<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-678661e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"678661e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-5836 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jerome-Rugaruza-1.jpg?resize=109%2C109&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"109\" height=\"109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jerome-Rugaruza-1.jpg?w=282&amp;ssl=1 282w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jerome-Rugaruza-1.jpg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jerome-Rugaruza-1.jpg?resize=212%2C212&amp;ssl=1 212w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jerome-Rugaruza-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gap-peace.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Jerome-Rugaruza-1.jpg?resize=70%2C70&amp;ssl=1 70w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 109px) 100vw, 109px\" \/>\u00a0<\/p><h3 data-path-to-node=\"3\"><b data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Heart Behind the Mission: Our Founder\u2019s Journey<\/b><\/h3><p data-path-to-node=\"4\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">From Lived Experience to Global Leadership<\/b> GAP was not born in a boardroom, but from the frontlines of displacement. Our founder, <b data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"130\">Mr. Jerome Rugaruza<\/b>, carries a unique perspective as both a former refugee and a lifelong humanitarian. His commitment to service began at just 11 years old when, as a primary student, he gave his own school fees to an orphaned classmate\u2014a spark of radical empathy that has defined his life\u2019s work ever since.<\/p><p data-path-to-node=\"5\"><b data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">A Decade of Service Across Africa<\/b> Before being resettled to Newcastle, NSW, Australia, Jerome spent years navigating the complexities of the humanitarian sector in Africa. His deep-rooted expertise was forged through strategic roles with some of the world\u2019s most vital organizations:<\/p><ul data-path-to-node=\"6\"><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">UNHCR (2000\u20132010):<\/b> Served as a Human Rights Advocate, bridging the gap between medical care and communication for Swahili-speaking refugees.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">HELP International (Canada):<\/b> Directed educational programs to empower displaced youth through knowledge.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">AFRICARE (USA):<\/b> Played a pivotal role in the post-genocide reconstruction of Rwanda (1995\u20131996), facilitating trauma healing for widows and orphans and rebuilding destroyed communities.<\/p><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"6,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">French Humanitarian Initiatives:<\/b> Dedicated a year to the street children of East Africa, focus on family reintegration and social education.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p data-path-to-node=\"7\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Birth of GAP<\/b> In 2010, after resettling in Australia via a humanitarian visa, Jerome recognized he was finally in a position of strength\u2014both financially and strategically\u2014to create a permanent vehicle for change. <b data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"217\">Global Assistance Partners (GAP)<\/b> was founded to move beyond temporary aid and focus on sustainable dignity.<\/p><p data-path-to-node=\"8\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Our Impact Strategy: From Survival to Self-Sufficiency<\/b> We prioritize those in the greatest need, but we measure our success by <b data-path-to-node=\"8\" data-index-in-node=\"127\">long-term output<\/b>. We don\u2019t just fund projects; we invest in livelihoods. By focusing on job creation and financial independence, we ensure that every dollar spent translates into a life permanently transformed.<\/p><p data-path-to-node=\"9\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">The Future: Growing Hope in the Soil<\/b> While our operations have traditionally focused on the urban challenges of Nairobi, we are now turning our eyes toward the horizon. <b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"169\">[We are currently expanding into the Kenyan upcountry, launching agricultural initiatives]<\/b> that will provide refugees with the land, tools, and training to feed their families and fuel the local economy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c48563 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3c48563\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1688e90 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"1688e90\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Heart of Our Work As a global humanitarian leader, GAP stands at the intersection of crisis and opportunity. While [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-653","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"campaignId":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=653"}],"version-history":[{"count":101,"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6879,"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/653\/revisions\/6879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gap-peace.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}