Miss Belgium 2024 Kenza Johanna Ameloot concluded her three-day visit to Rwanda on Wednesday, September 11. Born to a Rwandan mother and Belgian father, Kenza’s visit to Kigali is more than just a homecoming—it’s a journey to give back to her motherland. As part of her charitable work, she’s focused on improving the lives of children and the visually impaired through her partnership with Light for the World. She had a chat with The New Times’ Davis Higiro on hot topics varying from her passion for Rwanda’s development and her experiences with life-changing medical procedures to the inspiring stories she has witnessed during her stay. ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Miss Belgium 2024 visits Rwanda Kenza, it’s great to have you here in Kigali. Can you share what inspired your visit to Rwanda and what you’ve experienced so far? When I became Miss Belgium, I had the opportunity to choose what I wanted to do for charity, and I instantly knew I wanted to help my mother country (Rwanda). And then I thought, okay, I want to help kids, and what is my opinion on how we can influence kids' lives? Then I noticed that blind kids have less chance to go to university or get a good job, so I thought, are there organizations who help those kids? And I found Light For The World in Belgium, but they operate, the biggest part, in Rwanda, but also in Tanzania, and soon in Burundi. As someone with Rwandan roots, how does it feel to be here as Miss Belgium? What does it mean to you personally and professionally? Returning to Rwanda as Miss Belgium means the world to me. Personally, yes, but bigger things mean the world to me, and that is helping the children. And I know the Rwandan government is doing such a good job, and if I can help a specific part of the children who are struggling because of cataract on their eyes and becoming blind, it makes me proud on a personal level, but also on a professional level. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s Kenza Johanna Ameloot crowned Miss Belgium 2024 Are there specific projects or social causes in Rwanda that you are particularly passionate about that you think should be further developed or supported? In Rwanda, I am choosing specifically for light for the world. You may ask why, but that is because their goal is so specific. There are elderly people who have cataracts on their eyes, and they become blind. This means they cannot take the bus to the market. They cannot do the chores at home. They cannot even see their family. But those people can get an operation almost immediately, and 24 hours later, they can see again. What are some of the life-changing procedures you have witnessed so far? I had an elderly woman that was, like 86 years old yesterday (Tuesday, September 10) and she told me “I cannot see anything”. I haven't seen my daughter in years.” And, a day later, she told me, “you're wearing blue pants. I love the blue pants.” I was like, “how in the world does such a little procedure change a life so drastically?” And this elderly woman had a whole life, in the past, so it was a struggle now. But imagine being born with cataract. You're born, you don't see anything, you can't go to school. Another story that I learned yesterday, there was a girl and she's 14 years old, but she is in primary school. You may ask why? It is because she had her eye tested, her eyes tested on a later stage of her life, and that's why she got her operation and her glasses now. But that means she started school like 2 years ago. So she's not in her right age, and not in her right class, but she's very grateful and happy that she can go to school now and, at the moment, she's the number one student in her class. What really touched me is also stories about babies. There are babies who cannot see from the day they're born. There was a baby who was very scared, who was always laying on his mom's chest, and he got an operation yesterday on his eyes. Today, I saw him running behind his mom telling her wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! And, beforehand, he could not do that. He could not even see the food that he was eating. So that means this kid will go to school, maybe will go to university, and be the next Stevie Wonder...Who knows? So, for me, it is a miracle, but it's not a miracle as well because we can make it happen. We, as Rwandese people, but me as a Belgian who can go to big companies and ask for funds, I think it's very important that now, the doctors operating are Rwandese doctors, and the Belgian doctors just come and give classes on new methods and new ways to operate. But at the end of the day, it's Rwandese doctors who work from morning till night to achieve these results. And the only part that I have in that is raising funds and making sure the hospital can grow, and thousands of babies can be helped. We hope that by 2030, we can help 100 of thousands of babies, but that can be 100 of thousands of doctors later or lawyers. So, for me, it is a miracle, but a miracle that I need to make happen, and other people also need to contribute to make that happen. Looking back on your experiences in Rwanda, what has been the most memorable moment or interaction for you? What touched me the most now in Rwanda, is not just seeing the kids see again, it's also the mothers feeling relieved. Some of these mothers traveled for 8, 9, 11 hours on a bus just to get the opportunity to see a doctor. They would never have believed that the kids would have sight again, but they took a chance to make it happen and then, 24 hours later, the kid is better and can go home. So, for them it's a big journey, but for us, it's a small effort. So that touched me the most, how strong moms are. During your time in Rwanda, what have been some of the most striking observations or experiences you’ve had? For my whole life, what stands out the most for me in Rwanda is the way people help each other. Like when these people, you have family, but your neighbor is family, your doctor is family, everyone helps each other, and it's a community that grows at a very strong pace, but it is because they help each other out, and next year, there's a world championship of cycling here. We will be the 1st country in Africa to do so. So, we are starting a new trend of growing for all the African countries, and I'm so happy that I can be a part of it, and I can be proud of it, because my other heritage, the Belgian part, every Belgian I know looks at cycling, the whole weekend long. So now I can see it happen in my mother country. So, for me, it's a blessing, and I'm very proud.
