Weekly - David McKechnie, Rwanda Project

Speaker will be David McKechnie of Beauport Financial. David will be speaking about his project in Rwanda. Please read below for more information.

The hybrid Zoom session will begin at 7:30, by invitation only.   

About The Project:

About 10 years ago, David and his wife Elaine were invited to join their friend, Larry Rybka to go to Boneza Rwanda for the first time. At the time, there was no running water in the community of 28,000, they had just gotten electricity and had very little resources. When they were there, they met John Gasangwa. John told them; he had a dream of building a school on the hill. From there, their journey began. They purchased the land and began to fund wells for water. Once coming back home, David and Elaine began to get their local rotary clubs of Gloucester and Rockport involved. Over the years to come, they built a vocational school- Kivu Hills academy, a kitchen, put in 2 wells for clean water, and their most recent project was funding a generator that powers the school when electricity goes out.

The current project they are working on is a medical center. This is a project lead by Barb Culver; a retired Valmark Member and financial advisor from Cincinnati Ohio. In 2016, she was asked to go to Rwanda by Cheryl Rybka and that trip forever changed her life. When there, she asked the Rwanda Ministries translator, Sharon Montuni, what she felt was most needed and her answer was health care. The people of Boneza Rwanda did not even have medical supplies as simple as a band aid. Once the medical center is finished, it will serve over 5 million people in both Rwanda and Congo. It will offer dental services, gynecology services, and pediatric services. The hope is that as time goes on, more services will be added. The medical center will be called the Kivu Hills Medical Center. 

About David: 

David S. McKechnie is a Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Beauport Financial Services. With over 35 years of experience. He provides comprehensive investment, estate, and retirement planning with a focus on risk management. Outside of his professional occupation, David is involved in many professional associations and philanthropies. These include being a member of the Essex County Estate Planning Council, a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (Boston Chapter), a director on the Board of the North Shore YMCA, the Capital Campaign chair for the Cape Ann YMCA, Chairman of Advisory Board for the Essex County Community Foundation, a past board chairman for Shriners Burns Hospital for Children and actively involved volunteer of a U.S. nonprofit, Arise Rwanda that is based in Boneza Rwanda.

David earned his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Vermont in Economics. He then attended The American College and earned his title of Chartered Life Underwriter. David grew up in Gloucester MA and currently resides there with his wife, Elaine. They share 35 years of marriage. On his free time, David likes to spend time with his wife and two sons- Connor and Ryan, travel, and is an avid golfer.