ROLE MODEL OF THE WEEK

People who have changed lives! “What you are going through, I have been through as well”. These are words of Mr. Joseph Rwagatare. He told me these words at a time when I felt so lost and alone in this world. I was going through one of the hardest moments in my life. When He said these words, I first wondered weather age had not caught up with this guy! How on earth would someone admit to have been in my shoes? Joseph Rwagatare has been a Head teacher at FAWE and Kagarama Secondary School and many students have gone through his hands. Friends at FAWE have told me that when they were told that he was leaving the school to join Kagarama, they started crying and some even tried to convince him to stay. At Kagarama, he inherited a school with a very bad reputation, with a few years; he had changed the school to arguably the best public school in the country. Until his assignment in the President’s office, he was still the headmaster of Kagarama and the students there never even wanted to think of a day without “Daddy” as they called him! I got a chance to meet this gentleman in 2009 at Kagarama. From the day we met, we never looked back. I was going through a hard time and Mr. Joseph did everything within his powers to help me settle down including sacrificing his own lunch for me. He became a parent and a mentor. He was always there for me and gave me a lot of advise about life and realizing my dreams. He told me what I should expect from life and the best way to handle it. “Daddy is the best and will always be” says Neola a student from Kagarama Secondadry School. “During our years at FAWE, we never imagined life without him. I will never forget the day he left us, it was really hard” adds Laura, a former student of FAWE. Mr. Joseph all of us your students owe you a lot. Your positive influence in our lives can not be forgotten. Though sometimes we made you chase us around the school, some of these moments mark the sweetest memories in our lives. We thank you for the great job; your strong advocacy for girl child education. You gave hope to so many young girls around this country. We can not forget your hints on life! Thank you also for supporting all our initiatives the best way you could. Surely we owe you a lot. Good luck in all your endeavors. Every week, we shall be recognizing one person who has played a positive role in the lives of the Youth in Rwanda! Do not hesitate to contact us incase you have some suggestions! Ends