Born in Rwanda, to a Rwandan father and Burundian mother, Shaquille Mugisha never knew a father figure in his life, his parents having separated at an early age. In Burundi where his mother relocated following her separation, life took an uncertain turn and, as the eldest of two siblings, he had to step in to fend for the family. 

At six years of age, he discovered his life-long passion for art, "because I had no father figure in my life and I thought that art would give me a future,” he explains: "I realized that life was very difficult being raised by only a mother. I wanted something that could support me and my family financially.”

Mugisha came to Rwanda in May this year, fleeing the political tensions in Burundi. "I just stepped out into the unknown to try my luck in Rwanda since in Burundi, I was no longer selling my art pieces. I also want to continue with my studies because I’m still in secondary school,” he adds.

How did you learn to draw and paint?

Nobody actually taught me art. What happened is that as a child I became attracted to cartoon images in books and I would try to redraw those images I saw, until I realized I had a gift and passion for art.

What were the very first days like?

I remember I started with just 100 Burundian Francs that I received for a sketch from a school mate, which is about Rwf20. I used this money to buy materials like art paper and pencil and then made some more drawings which I sold for 200 Burundian Francs each.

Later on at school as people got more interested in my work, I started taking out passport photos of other pupils and drawing them. At one time one of the students liked his portrait so much that he gave me 1000 Burundian Francs, which was the largest amount I had ever received for a drawing. I used the money to stock up on more materials like drawing paper and pencils and paints.

Have you been to any art competitions so far? 

When I was 13 years old I drew a sketch and entered it into a competition at the French Institute in Bujumbura where I won first prize and was given a lot of money at the time -300,000 Burundian Francs. I remember I took all the money and gave it to my mother, who in turn decided to invest the money in my talent. The theme of the competition was the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi. 

I made a painting of a woman kneeling down, with graves on either side, and at the back, killers coming to hack her. The woman is crying and lifting her hands in the air and looking up in the sky with a child strapped to her back. On the horizon there is light shining down on her and a dove flying overhead, with the inscriptions, "Never Again”. 

In 2012 another competition was organized by the French Institute which I entered and also won. When I won that competition I received 200,000 Burundian Francs, and just like with the first competition, I used the money to buy materials and to support my mother at home. 

In 2014 someone encouraged me to go into the African Design Art competition in Kenya, where I attended and was one of the winners. I was given a lot of materials for painting, and when I returned to Burundi I immediately embarked on painting, because before, I was doing mostly drawings and sketches.

How have you managed to get better at your work over the years?

With time my skills got better because instead of spending my time on Facebook like most of my friends, I would use the internet to watch YouTube videos of what other painters were doing, and I would learn new things every time.

Gradually my paintings started going for a higher fee, as high as 10.000 Burundian Francs.

Then I started paying school fees for myself and later for my brother as well, and whatever was left, we would use it at home for food. 

Because of art, I have also developed another passion for poetry in that with every painting that I make, I also write a short poem to accompany it, explaining the inspiration for the painting. 

My advice to fellow youths is that when you are still young is the time to work hard and look for money. You can’t make excuses that I don’t have this or that. You can’t say my country is poor or I don’t have money so I can’t do this.