Mr Ivan while traveling and volunteering in the different not for profit organizations in south Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania; was inspired by the dedication of local organizations working to pull their own communities out of extreme poverty, disease and illiteracy. When he returned home in 2018, he co-founded Joy Makers Charity Foundation as a means to empower the vulnerable children, youth and women in his community.

The name Mugabira which literally means being ‘Being generous’ has indeed manifested itself in Ivan’s way of life because he has dedicated his life to living for the happiness of others. The passion and zeal to help others especially the vulnerable naturally dictated the career education path he chose in the field of Psychology. He wanted to broaden his understanding on how best he can serve humanity.  

Having grown up in poverty himself, Ivan knows how it feels to go hungry without a meal, he has lost loved ones because of a medical condition that could easily be treated, only if proper medical facilities were present. He walked miles to reach school on an empty stomach where the first meal of the day was always the last as the school always never provided a meal. So, his passion to help the children, youth and women in the community is essentially driven by passion to make a difference exacerbated by his experience as a kid growing up in this community.