Director
Damian Gilmartin
Damian has been involved in the work of Rwanda Restored for a number of years through membership of the Thornhill Community Church and friendship with the charity’s founder, Geoff Lane. He became a Trustee in January 2017, and has recently taken over as Director of the charity from Geoff. He undertook his first visit to Rwanda in February 2017, where he saw the charity’s work first-hand.
Damian has worked in the electricity generation industry for over 20 years as an engineer and team manager, at both power stations and head offices around the UK. He is currently the head of the Centre of Competence for Performance Engineering within RWE Generation SE.
Damian has Diploma level management qualifications, and is currently studying to be a coach-mentor with his company, RWE Generation UK. He is based in north Wiltshire and married to Nicola with two young daughters. Damian and his family attend Cirencester Baptist Church.
Trustees
Roger Chapman
Roger has been a trustee since it was formed and is the treasurer of the charity.
He attends an evangelical church in Walmley, West Midlands and is a qualified Chartered Public Service Accountant with over 30 years experience in local authority finance.He has extensive financial experience at all levels particularly in social housing and other community projects including Financial Director of Birmingham City Mission.
He lives in Lichfield, Staffs and also serves his local community.
He has visited Rwanda on 5 occasions.
Benson Kariuki
Benson became a Trustee in 2017. He has worked in higher education for over twenty years. His experience in research and teaching of science at university level repeatedly highlights the value of quality education and the need to ensure access for all. He attends Thornhill Community Church, Cardiff.
Ellen T Martins-Olatunde
After being involved with Rwanda Restored for over 10 years, Ellen T became a Trustee in July 2020.
Author/Transformational Career Coach/IT Consultant, Ellen T is a former employee of a law firm that raised funds via sponsored walks for us to build a school wing, back in 2009. We were their nominated charity of the year and their fundraising initiative celebrated the 15th Anniversary of the end of the Rwandan genocide in which Ellen T walked 38 miles of the collaborative 180-mile walk across Britain. From then, she helped the Charity sell merchandise created by Rwandan widows and orphans at open-mic events she facilitated.
Ellen T holds a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Computer Science and a Masters in Writing for Screen and Stage, gained from Regent’s University. As a born-again Christian, she has used her faith to shed light and inspire others in a variety of ways for over 20 years, including writing thought-provoking poetry, broadcasting an inspirational radio show from 2012 to 2014 and coaching people through redundancy. It has always been her mission to Help Other People Evolve (H.O.P.E.). As well as being a valuable member and advisor of the board, she also updates our social media platforms and raises funds by selling merchandise.
Secretary
David Davies
Dave has been involved in assisting Geoff with Rwanda Restored matters for the past five or so years. He has accompanied Geoff to Rwanda on one occasion so far in 2013 and now acts as the secretary of the charity.
After retiring from an 18 year term engagement in the RAF as an Air Traffic Controller, he moved to Saudi Arabia where he was first an Air Traffic Controller for two years and then an Air Traffic Control Instructor at the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh for 25 years until retirement in 2011.
Married to Lyn, with three children and eight grandchildren, he lives in Cardiff and is a member of Thornhill Community Church.
Special Adviser
Geoff Lane
Geoff Lane spent most of his working life in Human Resources in the food industry in South Wales. He and Ruth his wife felt called to India for a period of time.
After working in India for three years among the poor in a mission in the southern part of India,he had the opportunity to visit Rwanda in 1999 and began to establish different projects.
As the work grew, many challenges became apparent as so many needs were seen, he registered Rwanda Restored as a charity in 2006 after several visits to Rwanda.
He has now been to the country on over 40 occasions and is a member
of Thornhill Community Church, Cardiff.
