THE TEAM:

CATALYSTS: Roderick JAMES, Amanda MARKHAM & Peter HINDLEY

CO-ORDINATORS:

Rev. Jacques MURAGIJIMANA & Zilpa MASENGESHO

Alberto BENVENUTI; Builder & Hotelier in Musanze

Gilbert NSABIMANA; Consultant, Strategic Director, Team Builder

ADVISORY BOARD:

Nicholas HITIMANA, Director; Founding director of Ikirezi Essential Oils, Kigali and a director of Umurage Partnerships Ltd & The Umurage Development Company Ltd (Rwanda)

Joy NDUNGUTSE; Founder and CEO of Gahaya Links, Kigali

Sir Tim SMIT; founder of the Eden Project, Cornwall, UK.

Sir John ROSE; Deputy Chairman of Rothschild Group; former chief executive of Rolls Royce PLC.

We are in the process of inviting more partners from Rwanda to join the Advisory Support Group and identifying local people with the skills to manage projects as they develop.

Rev. Jacques MURAGIJIMANA

B.Ed (Hons) with English. Dip. Theology. Head teacher of Shyira Secondary School and Pastor of Shyira village.

Zilpa MASENGESHO

B.Sc (Hons) with accounting. Director of Cultural Centre at Shyira.

Amanda MARKHAM, Designer;

TV producer, Interior Decorator,  Parchment Shade Company Ltd -1986. Member of Last Word Lectures executive team hosting renowned speakers from all over the world. Works on all projects with her husband, Roderick James. Director of Umurage Partnerships Ltd. & The Umurage Development Company Ltd (Rwanda).

Peter HINDLEY. Son of medical missionary Dr Godfrey Hindley, born in Shyira and lived there for 15 years. Chairman and Chief Executive roles in several UK companies.

Roderick JAMES, Architect son of medical missionaries Dr Norman and Catherine James:

  1. Founding Director and Architect for the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales in 1974. It is now a university for sustainable architecture, and a public demonstration centre of windpower, hydropower, solar heating, solar electricity, organic agriculture, and sustainable solutions.    www.cat.org.uk;

  2. A member of the Intermediate Technology Development Group (1975- 1979), now called ‘Practical Action’ developing third world technologies, brick making, fibre reinforced cement, Cinva Ram.

  3. Founding chairman of Carpenter Oak & Woodland Ltd and Carpenter Oak Ltd (Oak frame buildings, Windsor Castle, Stirling Castle, 1500 Houses, 60 carpenters at peak) 1986-2006.

  4. Founding director of the SchoolHouse Project (video here) 2016, a programme for Schoolchildren building a house in their school grounds in London.

  5. Founding director of R-Affordable Homes Ltd, a training programme for ex-offenders building a house in Scotland (2017)

  6. Founder: Roderick James Architects and Roderick James Architects LLP.  1973-2020 www.roderickjamesarchitects.co.uk;

  7. Founder of Roderick James and Company; Design, Construction & Special projects 1973-present. Partnership now with Amanda Markham.

  8. Founder of Out of the Blue Ltd with Amanda Markham 2014-Present. www.outoftheblue.uk.com; Design, development of properties for short term letting,  marine design and special projects, consultants for visitor centres, tourism,  business development and income generation.

  9. Trustee of Jamie’s Farm charity for disadvantaged children (over 16,000 children have stayed on our 6 farms). www.jamiesfarm.org.uk. Currently building two rental cabins for fundraising.

  10. Founding chairman with Amanda Markham:  Umurage Partnerships Ltd, (2024- ) www.umuragepartnerships.com;  Not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee creating Architecture For Business Development in Rwanda and working with local architects.

  11. Roderick and Amanda built their own house, Eagle Rock, (video here), as part of a development of 21 houses designed by Roderick James Architects LLP. in Scotland 2015.

  12. Founding Director: Umurage Development Company Ltd (Rwanda) 2024-