"There's just something very special about the people there," Ms Wheen said.

"Their willingness to learn and their friendliness is amazing.

"We feel very connected to the country."

This sense of connection to the African nation is what drives Ms Wheen and her husband David to undertake their vital volunteer work with the Rwandan government and the local community.

It is a contribution that today sees them recognised on the Queen's Birthday Honours List alongside 717 other Australians.

They will receive medals of the order of Australia.

The list acknowledges those who have made a significant positive impact across fields including community services, defence and emergency services.

For the past eight years the now retired couple have returned annually to the African country, working closely with the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) to improve government services for Rwandans and foreigners.

Formally an immigration officer, Mr Wheen was originally asked to consult with the DGIE to assist in implementing new laws and structures within the department.

"These people are the first generation who've come from a rural background," Mr Wheen said.

"Rwanda is one of the poorest countries in the world and the people have just not had the same exposure we've had."

"We're trying to expose them to new ways of thinking and new ways of doing things."

This two-year contract gave rise to a love of the country and its local community, resulting in the pair's transition into volunteer work.

While continuing their government work, the Wheens wanted to assist in a more local sense and decided to create a program for Rwanda's youth population, which suffers from a lack of recreational and social facilities.

This saw the couple partner with Canberra's Indigo Foundation and Rwandan youth organisation, Club Rafiki, to provide free dance classes to young people in the country's capital of Kigali.

"Urban dance, funk and hip-hop are very popular in Rwanda but there was nowhere where it was provided for free for young people," Mr Wheen said.

The Wheens saw the classes give the children unexpected skills they had never previously had an opportunity to learn.

"We thought it would be something worthwhile, something fun. But we didn't realise that we had provided them with crucial life skills," Mr Wheen said.

"Things like committing to lessons each week, being on time, working in teams, and building self-confidence, which were all foreign concepts to them."

The club has since joined with the local health clinic so as to better educate participants about HIV prevention, family planning and positive health practices, information which is invaluable in a country rife with teenage pregnancies, poor health practices and the use of illicit drugs.

Over the years the Wheens have forged close relationships with both the local community and those in leadership roles.

Though Ms Wheen claims they were simply "in the right place at the right time", it is clear their work has had a significant, life-changing impact on the lives of many Rwandans.

"I love that we've been able to contribute in some small way to the lives of the Rwandan people," she said.

"The award was a total surprise. There are so many people doing such wonderful things in the community and so we feel humbled to be included."