Noel Rwagasore has been part of MCLD since 2023. He is motivated by CLD’s core principle of shifting power, voice, and decision-making directly into the hands of community members. This principle fosters (1) community ownership of development, which drives sustainability, (2) equity, dignity, and (3) genuine transformational change through strengthened resilience, leadership, and capacity within the community.
He is the founder of several organizations dedicated to amplifying the voices and strengthening the agency of vulnerable and marginalized communities, empowering them to defend their rights and lead their own development. Among them is the Better Life Achievement Organization (BLAO), established with the mission: “To ensure that children, women, and youth enjoy a human rights-based, holistic, and sustainable socio-economic development.”
“To me, MCLD means a Global Network of networks that fosters the implementation of sustainable Development through enhancing the power and capacity of communities to drive their own development. “My favorite part of being an MCLD coordinator is to empower the community members to take the lead in shaping their own development priorities. I enjoy bringing people together, amplifying diverse voices, and ensuring that decision-making is truly community driven and reflects community needs and aspirations by shifting from external-driven projects to community led initiatives that foster dignity, equity, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability within community.”