By: Sandra Black
An intimate Q&A with the award-winning speaker, executive coach, and philanthropist, on why she’s leading her 14th trip to Rwanda and inviting others to come along.
Victoria Trabosh is no stranger to adversity or transformation. A bestselling author, international speaker, and certified executive coach with over 40 years of leadership experience, she’s spent decades helping others rise with purpose through her AdFARsity™ framework. But her most profound transformation began not in a boardroom or on a stage but in a quiet moment, when a stranger asked her to come to Rwanda.
In this conversation, Victoria shares the unexpected story that changed her life, the promise she made to a Rwandan leader, and why she believes purpose isn’t something we find, it’s something we follow.
Q: Victoria, you’ve said Rwanda changed your life. Can you take us back to that moment?
Victoria Trabosh: It was 2004, and my former boss had encouraged me to go to Rwanda. I had no idea where it was, what had happened there, or how dangerous it might be. When I told my husband I was considering it, he asked three questions: “Where’s Rwanda?” “Do you know what happened there?” and “Do you know how dangerous it is?” I answered, “No,” to all three. And he looked at me and said firmly, “You’re not going to Rwanda.”
So I told my ex-boss I couldn’t go. But he didn’t give up, he invited me to a World Vision luncheon in Portland. And that’s where I met her: Rita Ngarambe. One African woman in a room of white people. I walked up to her and said, “Hi, I’m Vicky.” She said, “My name is Rita.” I replied, “That was my mother’s name.” And without missing a beat, she looked at me and said, “Then I will be your mother.”
Q: That’s a powerful moment. What happened next?
Victoria Trabosh: We talked about hope or the lack of it. She led a microfinance program in Rwanda and said her people had lost hope. I shared what I had seen in my own work as a legal guardian, so many elderly people were waiting. Waiting for meals. Waiting for doctors. Waiting for death. I said, “I don’t believe God wants us to wait. I believe we’re meant to act.” She looked at me and said, “Then you must come to Rwanda and speak to my people.” I didn’t even pause, I said, “I will.”
Q: That promise turned into action very quickly.
Victoria Trabosh: Yes. I didn’t want to arrive empty-handed, so I decided to raise $25,000 before the trip. We created an event called Brick by Brick. No dinner, just a dessert buffet and real stories. Keir Pearson, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Hotel Rwanda, came to speak. Oprah had recently spoken about the film and the genocide and many attendees knew about Rwanda only because of her. The women of Rwanda danced, a survivor spoke in Kinyarwanda, and under each chair, we placed a single brick.
Q: A brick?
Victoria Trabosh: At the end of the evening, I asked every guest to hold their brick. I told them: “This brick represents the weight of a malnourished child. The burden a woman carries. The color of the soil seen in moments of pain. But it also represents hope. With these bricks, we’ll help Rwanda rebuild brick by brick by brick.” We raised $23,000 that night.
Q: And that led to the founding of the Itafari Foundation?
Victoria Trabosh: Exactly. I returned from my first trip determined to do more. I co-founded the Itafari Foundation, ‘itafari’ means brick in Kinyarwanda, with two other women. We didn’t ask, “What can we give?” We asked, “What do you need?” And we partnered to create lasting solutions. From 2005 to 2016, we raised over $1.5 million, funding micro loans, child sponsorships, goat cooperatives, a high school, and the sale of artisan crafts.
Q: That’s an incredible legacy. What stays with you most?
Victoria Trabosh: The resilience. And the relationships. Rwanda didn’t just teach me how to give, it taught me how to listen. How to lead with humility. And how to follow through. I’ve visited 13 times over 20 years. I’ve laughed, cried, and changed. I’ve been to genocide memorials and danced with children in rural villages. And I’ve never once felt unsafe, Rwanda is now one of the safest countries in Africa.
Q: You’ve said this work influenced your coaching. How so?
Victoria Trabosh: Deeply. Coaching is about transformation. Rwanda showed me that transformation begins in adversity but flourishes in community. That’s what inspired my AdFARsity™ framework, it helps people move from pain to power. Whether I’m coaching an executive or speaking at the UN, I carry Rwanda with me. It’s part of my leadership DNA.
Q: And now you’re inviting others to experience it?
Victoria Trabosh: Yes! In October 2025, I’m leading a curated leadership tour to Rwanda. It’s not tourism, it’s transformation. We’ll visit memorials, meet community leaders, tour cooperatives, see gorillas in the wild, and witness a nation that chose healing over hatred. It’s for people who want more than inspiration, they want to embody it.
Q: Final thought?
Victoria Trabosh: If you’ve ever felt a tug toward something bigger than yourself, follow it. Rwanda called me, and I answered. I’ve never been the same.
About Victoria Trabosh
Victoria Trabosh is a bestselling author, international speaker, certified executive coach, and creator of the AdFARsity™ framework. With over 40 years of leadership experience, she has guided global changemakers, spoken at the United Nations, and co-founded the Itafari Foundation, which raised $1.5 million for Rwandan-led initiatives. Learn more at victoriatrabosh.com. Join her in Rwanda: rwanda2025.com
