The orphan whose phobia for failure pushed her to succeed

SHE HAS THIS air of confidence around her. Françoise Niyigena was the best girl and second best overall student in the ordinary level examinations with a score of eight points. Despite her success, she is not proud but rather welcoming. She is soft spoken and makes you feel like you have known her your whole life. To her, success didn’t come as a miracle because she has always performed well in school. However, she doesn’t just wait for success to crawl into her life. Her phobia for failure pushed her to succeed against all odds. Without the people in her life, Niyigena believes she never would have succeeded. “It wasn’t my personal effort alone. We have competent and friendly teachers at school. You can ask them anywhere and anytime about a subject,” she says cheerfully. As most students have revising strategies, so did Niyigena. She had a timetable and held discussions with other students. Soon to be 17 Niyigena never knew her father and lost her mother at a tender age. She was raised by Pastor Leo Rucibigango and her school tuition was paid by African Children’s Choir. “After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, as a Pastor, I decided to go to rural areas to preach the word of God and bring back hope to these depressed people. I went to Ngororero district where I found many orphans and started preaching the word of God to these children but after a few months, I realised that these children needed food and education.”“So I had to look for assistance. Luckily, I got some compassionate people who accepted to help these children. They started a school with just 50 children and the number kept on increasing every year. Françoise joined the school in 1999. I met her when she was just three years old living with her mother and grandmother. She was really small and well behaved and I was the one who asked her parents to bring her to the school because her home was nearby. She is like my own daughter.” “After a few years, I partnered with African Children’s Choir (ACC) which operates in different countries in Africa, responsible for taking children abroad to look for sponsors. ACC trained children to sing gospel songs and after, they were taken abroad to big churches to sing and get sponsors,” says Niyigena’s guardian, Pastor Leo Rucibigango. “After getting partnership with ACC, I asked them to take my children from the orphanage school. They accepted and took nine children abroad and Françoise was among them. They were away for two and a half years. On their return, they stayed in Uganda and completed their Primary Level from there because the organization (ACC) has a primary school in Uganda. She studied at Nu Vision High School for her Senior 4, offering PCB (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) and she wants to be a doctor,” adds the Pastor.To her, being an orphan is what cemented her determination to succeed. “I would like to study medicine and specialize in pediatrics because other than the fact that I adore kids, I know what it means to suffer as a child.”She secured a place at Nu Vision High School where she will also complete her Advanced Level. At Nu Vision High School, she was given a full scholarship for her good performance and making the school proud. In her Senior Two, she received a half scholarship for outstanding academic discipline and leadership. “This is always for kids who have performed well in school but I think that I was in God’s favour,” says Niyigena.The young scholar believes whatever direction the wind blows her; God has big plans for her. She says she will make use of the opportunities that come her way and make an even better life for herself and her younger sister. “Françoise is a well behaved and smart Born Again Christian. I am really proud of her. She is a fruit of my sweat and the sleepless nights I spent. I believe she will be whatever she wants to be in the future. She is a blessing to me. God be with her and bless her with each and everything needed for her to attain her goals,” concludes Pastor Leo. She made a promise to herself to work hard and look after her family. If a genie could grant her one wish, she would wish her mother was alive today to see her succeed and be proud of her.