Telling me is not a big deal but digesting every thing children tell me is the biggest issue. Some times I can’t hold back my feelings, many times tears escape through my eyes and drop. Oh! What a life of hearing children’s issues that need to be urgently catered for and yet there are no funds. I do listen to a number of children’s stories. Some are funny, others educative and still others sad. Children humble themselves and innocently tell me their lifestyles both at home and outside home. Children are vulnerable; they can easily be hurt if not properly handled. The children’s future is predicted by God then made complete and successful with the help of parents, guardians, teachers and the society. Without beating around the bush, today I bring you what I called the future millionaire. Don’t laugh…but take it the way it is. Once again, I say that she is a great Rwandan investor. So, Private Sector Federation and other investment Organisations should start paying close attention to this upcoming entrepreneur. Little Cynthia Iradukunda of 11 stays at Kabagari in Kacyiru with her mother and grandmother. She is the first born among 6 children. While narrating her story Iradukunda says that four of her step brothers and sisters live in an orphanage while she and her other siblings stay at home. Iradukunda and her siblings go to Kimihurura primary school. Unlike other children in the holidays, Iradukunda’s holiday programme is a little bit interesting and unique. She tells her story saying, “I wake up at 7:00 am in the morning, sweep and mop the house, wash the plates and go to look for food to eat”. The statement look for food pushed me to ask her more about how she looks for food. Iradukunda said, “I carry my sack and move from house to house begging for food stuffs”. Iradukunda continues to say that, she is capable of moving into 10 houses a day. During her movements of begging from home to home, she encounters a number of opportunities and challenges. It is not like every house she sets in her little foot receives her, there are homes where she is threatened to be beaten and others where she is insulted and forced to move out of the gate. Iradukunda’s happiest moments during her begging venture is when is accepted, welcomed lots of food stuffs and even gave out some of what she had. Iradukunda comes from a poor family; her mother who often falls sick is unable to effectively support the family. Iradukunda’s grandmother is also not strong enough to support her sick daughter and the two grandchildren staying at home at the moment. When asked who sends her to beg, Iradukunda said that both her mother and grandmother send her to beg for food. Iradukunda explained saying that she does the job of begging both in holidays and during school time. During school she only goes begging on Saturdays and Sundays. Iradukunda claimed to have got little food stuff on X-mas and New Year’s Day, “Out of 5 houses I moved to, I only got one 1kg of rice and some sweet potatoes said Iradukunda. Iradukunda’s happiest memory concerning begging, was the day she woke up in the morning, went to beg and her sack was filled with different food stuffs. I was so happy, I couldn’t carry my sack. The last home that filled my sack also gave me money to transport my heavy sack, said Iradukunda with a bright facial expression. When asked how she feels about moving from house to house begging for food, Iradukunda responds saying, she feels cheated, because her step siblings stay in an orphanage. As an orphan, I wouldn’t love to go on begging. Like other children orphans, I prefer staying in a Children’s Home where I can be offered every thing especially education. Unlike other children whose education burden is on their parents, little Iradukunda has to look for her own scholastic materials. Speaking to the Children’s Times Iradukunda said that while on her way to begging food, she also begs for money. To be continued...
