Josephine Uwimana has been among beneficiaries empowered by FAWE in different programs after hard life triggered by being an orphan of the Genocide against the Tutsi. In her testimony shared during the opening ceremony of Rwanda Women’s Career center, she said that FAWE restored her hope after a very difficult life not only as an orphan but also as a disadvantaged teen mother who gave birth at the age of 11.

In her story, After the Genocide, life started to be very hard as she gave birth to her first child at 11 years old. Despite all the hurdles, she saw other young people going to school and felt she had to study no matter what. She decided to go to primary school having two children and it was not easy for her to afford school equipment and take care of her two children. Against all odds, she was determined to achieve something in life which led her to finish primary school with good grades.

After finishing her primary school, something exciting that happened is being invited among other brilliant students who met her Excellency First lady Jeannette Kagame. Starting secondary school in Nine Years Basic Education(9YBE) was also not easy because of huge responsibilities among other challenges.

After a while, she has been informed that FAWE is calling students who had requirements to be supported and empowered in her different programs not limited to scholarship and mentorship programs and her application has been accepted.

After a couple of years under FAWE scholarship, she failed to fulfill scholarship requirements and decided to halt all school-related affairs. This time, she felt her life is going to be in danger. As a no schooling teen mother, FAWE didn’t forget her because she has been called into training and mentorship programs then decided to start a small business of breeding pigs. That time she also started to participate in the decision-making processes as a local leader in her community.

In that journey she has been failed but never gave up as now she has a small business and started to empower other young women who face multiple challenges. Her eldest girl is in senior six and she decided to adopt another kid.

She concluded by thanking FAWE for restoring her hope, bringing her back to life and it was something to learn on in her journey, she concluded by urging other girls to keep their head up, to be self-confident, and always determined to live with purpose.