The story of Maranatha Teenager's Organization did not begin in January 2021. For its president, Kasine Marie Grace, the roots of the organization go much further back, to her childhood in Rwanda, her arrival in Belgium, her academic and professional journey, and the experiences that shaped her desire to help others.
A dream born in childhood
Since childhood, Kasine says she has been particularly sensitive to the suffering of others, especially children.
She remembers witnessing, while growing up in Rwanda, the difficulties faced by some children living in blended families. Some situations of mistreatment deeply affected her.
At the time, she had a simple dream: when she grew up, she would create an orphanage to welcome and protect children experiencing hardship.
Over the years, that dream did not disappear. It simply took a different form.
Today, rather than creating the orphanage she imagined as a child, Kasine has chosen to build a space for listening, guidance and support, primarily for young people and families settling in Belgium.
From the migration experience to commitment
Her own journey also played a decisive role in the creation of Maranatha.
Kasine arrived in Belgium while she was in her fourth year of secondary school. She therefore experienced firsthand the challenges of settling in a new country: adapting to a different culture and language, a different school system, new social codes and relationships, and gradually finding her place.
This experience helped her understand that adolescence is already an important period of transition, and that it can become even more challenging when combined with migration.
'A young person arriving in a new country may have abilities, dreams and a genuine desire to succeed, while still needing someone to listen to them, guide them, encourage them and show them that moving forward is possible,' she explains.
This experience is also reflected in the word 'Teenager's', which is directly connected to young people and this important stage of life.
Why 'Maranatha'?
The name Maranatha also has its roots in an experience Kasine had during her youth in Rwanda.
She remembers a choir of secondary-school students at Kabusunzu Secondary School in Kigali, known as the Maranatha Choir. Despite having limited resources and having to balance their studies with other daily responsibilities, the young people managed to produce a music video album.
What particularly impressed her was not only the result they achieved, but their motivation, determination and ability to encourage one another to complete their project.
The experience left her with an important conviction: young people are not simply individuals who need help. They are also capable of generating ideas and possess talents, energy and abilities that sometimes simply need to be encouraged and supported.
For her, the name Maranatha therefore represents motivation, solidarity, mutual encouragement and the ability to turn an idea into a concrete project.
Two areas of training supporting her vision
Her academic background also helped shape her approach.
After arriving in Belgium, Kasine continued her education and trained as a social worker before obtaining a master's degree in engineering and project management in December 2020.
These two fields, she believes, complement each other.
Her social work training taught her to consider a person as a whole: their difficulties, needs, resources, environment and the opportunities available to them.
Project management, meanwhile, gave her the tools to turn an idea into action, set objectives, mobilize resources and develop concrete solutions.
This combination has become one of the foundations of Maranatha's approach.
Listening before looking for solutions
For Kasine, supporting someone does not simply mean providing an immediate answer to their problem.
She often uses the image of a 'problem tree': the visible problem is only what appears on the surface. Behind it may lie deeper causes.
For example, a young person who cannot find employment may be facing a language barrier, a lack of training, limited professional networks, administrative difficulties, family challenges or financial problems.
The organization therefore seeks to understand the person's situation as a whole.
Its approach is based on several steps: listening, understanding, identifying the underlying causes, finding available resources, developing solutions together and supporting their implementation, with the ultimate goal of gradually promoting autonomy.
For the president of Maranatha, helping does not mean doing things on someone's behalf. It means accompanying them until they are progressively able to move forward independently.
From social support to autonomy
The organization also seeks to go beyond immediate assistance.
A person may need support to find a school, housing or employment, resolve an administrative issue or access certain services. Once a certain level of stability has been achieved, however, it becomes possible to think about their professional plans and long-term autonomy.
Kasine also envisions developing collective projects or cooperatives in which several people can pool their skills, experience and resources.
The goal is to gradually transform support into the ability to take action and build one's own future.
An organization built with limited resources
When Maranatha Teenager's Organization was officially established in January 2021, it did not have significant financial resources.
The project began with limited means but strong determination.
There were lessons to learn, solutions to find, people to convince, activities to organize and challenges to overcome, including moments of doubt.
Five years after its creation, the organization continues its work.
For Kasine, this continuity is itself an important achievement. In her view, it demonstrates that a project can start modestly and develop through perseverance, commitment and the support of others.
The president also emphasizes the important role played by those around her.
She particularly pays tribute to her elder sister, whom she describes as someone who supported her from childhood, as well as her husband, children, volunteers, friends and many others who have contributed to the organization's activities.
Their support gradually transformed an individual initiative into a collective project.
'What started as my personal project has become a collective story,' Kasine says.
An inauguration designed by and for young people
A new chapter is now being prepared: the official inauguration of Maranatha Teenager's Organization, scheduled for 2027.
The event will have a particular feature: its activities will be led by young people from different nationalities.
For Kasine, this choice directly reflects the philosophy of the organization.
Young people should not be seen only as beneficiaries. They should also be active participants in the project, able to propose ideas, take on responsibilities, develop their talents and contribute to shaping their own future.
Diversity will also be at the heart of the event. The organization hopes to bring together young people from different backgrounds so they can share their experiences, cultures, talents and aspirations.
For its president, differences in origin should not prevent young people from building something together.
A call for collective engagement
As the inauguration approaches, Kasine Marie Grace is calling on the diaspora and everyone who wishes to contribute to the initiative.
She is seeking their support, ideas, commitment and participation in order to properly prepare for the event.
For her, supporting young people is a collective responsibility.
Helping young people integrate, build their future and develop their abilities also contributes to the development of communities and helps maintain connections with countries of origin.
The 2027 inauguration is therefore intended to be more than an official ceremony. It is expected to mark the transition from the organization's first years of development to a new phase in the growth of Maranatha.
A dream that took a different form
Looking back at her journey, Kasine believes that the dream she had as a child has never truly disappeared.
She may not be building the orphanage she once imagined, but she has chosen, together with others, to create a space where young people can be heard, guided, supported and encouraged to build their own futures.
Maranatha Teenager's Organization therefore carries a personal story that has become a collective one: a childhood dream shaped by a migration experience, strengthened through academic training and transformed into an initiative dedicated to young people.
And for Kasine, the story of Maranatha is only just beginning.
