Dativa Nayituriki’s zeal of becoming a scientist does not seem to be washed by any form of interference whatsoever, today or in the future.

 At age 15, and in p.6 at Mpanga Primary school, in Mukingo Sector of Nyanza District, Dativa wants to be a medical doctor and contribute to the development of Rwanda.

"At times, walking around the villages, it pains me coming across people that cannot have access to medicine. I can imagine the pain they go through—the pain of the ailment, but mostly the pain of hopelessness. If you are sick and you expect some medicine, there you cling onto some hope; but when you expect nothing, even the body just withers, and the heart just slumps” reasons Dativa, who is the head prefect at the school.

She pauses for a second or two, shakes her head, looks into space—pondering, almost to meditative level, then, like somebody in some hidden pain, continues; "May be you haven’t been to those villages, you haven’t seen what I have seen. People are poor, people are sick. People need help. And one day, I will provide that help,” she puts forward as I begin to wonder if she is not reasoning beyond her age. But she means every bit of what she is saying.

And does she expect to make it? "I definitely will. I do not joke with academics. Everyday I accomplish something—either in revision and or acquiring something new. And I do not lose what I get.”

I ask her if she gets some time to work with parents on the daily household chores to which she says; "It all starts with home and assisting them so that they can lift me even higher. If I do not tend to their gardens, then where shall they get the money to buy me school requirements. That is why I do all that they tell me, to make them better as they make me even better.”

And it seems Dativa is into solving social problems. "As the head of the student community, I must listen to their problems. For example when girls are undergoing menstruation, they come to me and I pick the sanitary pads from the senior woman immediately. That way, they do not feel shy, do not miss school, and do not get emotional isolation.”

Any other way that she feels will help the communities in case she doesn’t become a doctor? "I will always get involved in mobilizing the masses, point out for them where and how they can make their lives better. As an educated person, am informed and can handle myself well, with dignity and esteem. I, for example admire the Executive Secretary of our (Mukingo) Sector. She is approachable, carries herself with grace and dignity and does not divulge people’s secrets after helping them solve their problems.”

The way I see Dativa, her determination and resolve to help her people and country, not even the sky will be the limit, before she gets where she wants to be, where she wants to take her people and where she wants to take her country.

Ends