About us

Rwandan Beauty has been set up by the Rwandan genocide SURF Survivors Fund, which fundraises and supports survivors of the 1994 genocide.

Rwandan Beauty exists to bring the finest handmade jewellery to the western world, in the conscience that the beautiful beads have been lovingly hand-assembled by Rwandan widows whose livelihoods are supported by this enterprise. 

Survivors Fund (SURF) was founded by Mary Kayitesi Blewitt OBE, a British citizen of Rwandan origin. 

Mary lost over 50 members of her family in the genocide and helped establish the first survivors’ organisations in Rwanda in 1994. 

Survivors Fund SURF continues today to rebuild the lives of survivors of the Rwandan genocide, delivering programmes rebuilding lives through sustainable integration & development.

SURF supports students, orphans (many of whom have been heads of their household since childhood) and widows, in addressing their ongoing needs: health problems (particularly HIV), trauma as well as continued threats to their lives, poverty (including reclaiming property), lack of shelter, lack of justice and disrupted education, where many child heads of household have sacrificed their education to enable their younger siblings to attend school.

Holistic programmes are developed and delivered by survivor-led organisations including AVEGA (Association of Widows of the Genocide) and AERG (Students' Association of Survivors), with technical support from SURF.

Any one angle of assistance – be it medical, economic or social – would be an incomplete answer. Thus the programmes range from healthcare to house building, education to entrepreneurship.

Survivors Fund (SURF) has a UK charity no: 1065705 www.survivors-fund.org.uk