Daniel Trust is a Rwandan Genocide survivor and a youth motivational speaker. He will be a guest speaker on December 3 at the GLBT of Hunterdon meeting in Clinton.
Trust immigrated to the United States in 2005 as a refugee when he was 15 years old. Born Daniel Ndamwizeye, and now known as Daniel Trust he quickly learned how to speak English and started attending Bassick High School in Bridgeport, CT where he graduated with high honors in 2008. In 2010, he obtained his American Citizenship. He graduated with a business management degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 2013.
As a young child of 5 years-old he witnessed his mother get murdered, lost his father and two sisters during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. By the grace of God, his life was spared and he survived the Rwandan Genocide, a war that killed more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. In his lectures at high schools and colleges across the nation, Daniel says he was saved for a reason, and he feels he has a greater purpose on this earth.
After the Genocide, more heartbreak followed for Daniel, who went on to suffer years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of a relative charged with his care after his parents’ deaths. Daniel founded The Daniel Trust Foundation in 2009 when he was a freshman in college. After coming out as gay in 2010 on National Coming Out Day, Daniel incorporated LGBT advocacy as part of the foundation’s mission.
In 2014, he re-launched the Foundation with a focus on recognizing and rewarding students from all backgrounds, who promote and give back to social causes they are passionate about in their communities and teachers who go above and beyond to help their students succeed in school and in their personal lives. Selected students receive a 4-year $2,000 college scholarship and nominated teachers who are selected receive a $1,000 grant.
In 2009, the organization was originally founded with a mission of supporting orphans around the world. Daniel sold “D-Trust” branded T-shirts with inspirational words to his friends at Southern Connecticut State University and donated all proceeds to World Vision in support of two orphans he sponsored through the organization.
The regular first Thursday of the month meeting of the GLBT of Hunterdon County NJ is social on December 3 with Daniel Trust as a special and special guest. They will meet at the Clintion Library at 6pm. All are welcome. www.glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com.
