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Jean René Shema

Rwanda Country DirectorGlobal Health Corps

Biography

Shema is the Country Director for Global Health Corps in Rwanda. His role involves leading and managing the day to day program and Operations of Global Health Corps (GHC) in Rwanda, and in coaching and mentoring a yearly average of 26 multi-cultural Professionals tackling systemic priorities and gaps in Global Health area. Shema joined the GHC team full-time in August 2011 to launch the GHC office in Kigali, which supports fellows and partner organizations in Rwanda and Burundi. He has previously worked as the National Volunteering Program Manager at Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in Rwanda, where he also managed a Multicultural Global Exchange program and nurtured and managed a Diaspora volunteering scheme bringing Rwandan experts living in North America to work in Rwanda. Shema also worked with Partners in Health in Rwanda for more than 3 years managing PIH growth in Kirehe District regarding health care services, health access systems and health infrastructure. He also served as Chief of Staff and Public Relations for PIH/IMB Rwanda.
Shema, who represented the Rwandan Youth in the second sitting of the International Youth Parliament held in Sydney, Australia in 2004, is deeply passionate about social justice, health equity, youth leadership, and developmental solutions uplifting people from poverty. He holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Roehampton, London; and a bachelor’s degree in History and Politics from the National University of Rwanda, where he served as Secretary General for the General Students Union from 2003 to 2004.

Regional Focus

Eastern and Southern Africa