Emmanuel Ngoga-Mukomeza

I was born in 1983 and grew up in Kibuye province with my parents, my older brother, and my younger sister. My father was a pastor, and my mother stayed at home and raised us. I used to love to play football with my siblings and friends, and with my parents watching from the sidelines.

I was ten when the war broke out. My parents decided to flee to a neighboring province, where they had heard the killing was less intense and there was the possibility of securing protection from the government soldiers and police. My parents took my older brother, but left me and my younger sister, believing that the Interahamwe would not target young children. After a week, my mother returned with a severe machete wound on her neck. My father and brother had been killed; my mother died five days later.

I learned that the neighbor with whom my sister and I were hiding would no longer protect us. I fled to my grandmother's house, but everyone there had been killed. Luckily, I found some family friends still alive, and they arranged to hide me on the one of the islands in Lake Kibuye. After the war I was reunited with my sister, and the RPF took us to an orphanage for survivors in Gitarama, where we stayed until my uncle came to take custody of us.

Life has been difficult since the war. My uncle has struggled to support me and my sister along with our cousins, but we have nonetheless been happy and well cared for. I obtained my high school diploma in accountancy. I enjoyed studying and wanted to continue, but had no means of funding my further education.

I learned about ORI from the wife of the orphanage director in Gitarama, and now, thanks to ORI's support, I started studying towards a degree in Management at the Gikondo School of Finance and Banking in January 2007. I would like to continue my studies as far as possible-to the Ph.D. level if I can-so that I can be in a position to help Rwanda progress as a country. I have always hoped to work in a bank after I graduate, and to help Rwanda develop.

I also believe that I have a responsibility to help other orphans to achieve their goals, just as I have been helped to pursue mine. I am very grateful to the ORI donors for their support. Orphans lead a very hard life, and organizations like ORI make a very big and very appreciated difference in our lives.