Nine-year-old Uwase (not real name as she’s a victim of defilement) wants to be a pilot. It’s not unusual for young girls in present-day Rwanda to set their sights on careers in spaces that were previously dominated or seen as entirely reserved for men. From pioneers like Esther Mbabazi, the first Rwandan woman to become a pilot, and other female trailblazers, including in the military, young girls in the country know that the playing field has been leveled and can achieve as much as their brothers. Growing up in one of the best countries in the world to be born a girl, Uwase is likely to go on and achieve her dream. Uwase is one of the more than 180 children, mostly former street children, orphans and other schoolchildren from poor backgrounds, who are attending a private school in Byimana Sector, Ruhango District. Located in a village setting in southern Rwanda, Bright Future Academy is the brainchild of Yohani Kayinamura, a US-based Rwandan academic, who set up the school to give children with troubled backgrounds a shot at the good life. The facility started as an orphanage before it was transformed into a school a few years ago after the Government of Rwanda decided to gradually phase out orphanages as it moved to have every child grow up in a typical family setting. The school is not only a learning place but it also offers a child-friendly environment where learners are cared for and supported and empowered to discover their potential and seek to become the best version of themselves. It is the kind of environment that shapes children like little Uwase into focused and responsible citizens determined to pursue their dreams and to impact their community. Indeed, Kayinamura is a good example of a citizen giving back to the community, and shaping and empowering future generations. He’s not only investing his resources to educate disadvantaged children but he’s also taking care of their mental and physical health needs and teaching them how to become responsible citizens. While we may all not start a school or make significant financial investments in our communities, we can each be a Kayinamura in our own small way. We can all contribute toward creating empowered and inspired future generations by lending a helping hand in our communities in one way or another. You could do this through supporting initiatives like Kayinamura’s or your local early childhood development centre or another community project that serves young generations.
