Skip to Main Content
Brown University
The Warren Alpert Medical School

Medicine@Brown

Secondary Navigation Navigation

  • Browse Archive
  • About
  • Give Now
Search Menu

Site Navigation

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Issues
  • Alumni
  • Campus
  • Hospitals
  • Research
  • Students
  • About
    • Contact Us
Search
Medicine@Brown
Date October 15, 2025
All News
Share
Facebook Twitter_X Linkedin Email

Shewa

By Benjamin J. Katz MS'28

Northwest Rwanda, 2023 | Damascene Nzarora, or “Shewa” as we affectionately call him—a playful twist on the abbreviation CHW, for community health worker—is truly one of a kind.

 What makes Shewa extraordinary isn’t just his compassion or dedication; it’s his deep, almost encyclopedic knowledge of his community. He knows every single family in these rugged mountains, and exactly where each home is tucked. 

In places like this, where a medical emergency could mean a long, treacherous journey to care, Shewa is a lifeline. This corner of Rwanda, known for its sweeping potato fields and as the gateway to Volcanoes National Park, where Dian Fossey did her groundbreaking gorilla research, holds both immense beauty and deep challenges. And walking through it all, day after day, is Shewa, with his brilliant smile, unmatched devotion, and a heart big enough to carry an entire community. 

Brown University
Providence RI 02912 401-863-1000

Quick Navigation

  • Division of Biology and Medicine
  • Program in Biology
  • Affiliated Hospitals

Footer Navigation

  • Events
  • Maps and Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Accessibility
Give To Brown

© Brown University

The Warren Alpert Medical School
For You
Search Menu

Mobile Site Navigation

    Mobile Site Navigation

    • Home
    • Current Issue
    • Issues
    • Alumni
    • Campus
    • Hospitals
    • Research
    • Students
    • About
      • Contact Us

Mobile Secondary Navigation Navigation

  • Browse Archive
  • About
  • Give Now
All of Brown.edu People
Close Search

Shewa