Jacqueline Bucyedusenge

I was born in Kibuye in 1986 into a family of 9. We were seven children, and we lived with our parents. My childhood was a happy time. We were a family that joked and laughed a lot. I remember being frequently teased by my brothers. Happy memories of my childhood include daily trips to the well to collect water with my siblings. Sometimes, if I accidentally broke the water vessel, I would hide at my grandmother's house to avoid my punishment from my father.

Neither of my parents had a secondary school education. They were both cattle-keepers. We kept cows and cultivated crops for their feed and for our domestic consumption.

I was in my second year of primary school when the genocide began. It was decided that my father would flee with the boys, and my mother would leave with the girls. My mother decided that our best bet was to hide in the forest. However, my two older sisters refused to go along with us. They feared that, if they were to be discovered in the seclusion of the forest, their chances of being raped before being killed would increase. Instead, they chose to stay on the run and keep close to the roads and settlements. At one point, my grandmother stopped running. She could not keep up with the rest of us. Being the youngest, I was having trouble keeping up too, so we decided that I would remain with her and that we would hide together.

One day, we came across my father and I decided that I wanted to run with him instead. At my young age, I believed in my father's strength and felt that no one would be able to hurt me for as long as I was with him. However, as I was getting ready to leave with him, I was shot in the leg, and forced to remain with my grandmother.

As the genocide drew to a close, my mother, younger brother, grandmother and I found each other again. But on the last day of the conflict, my mother and brother were shot dead as we ran towards the liberation forces. I actually watched their murder. This is my most harrowing memory of the genocide, and one that I will never forget. I learned later that a former neighbor had killed my father and other brother, and chopped off their arms and legs. Of my immediate family, only my older sister and I survived that terrible time.

After the genocide, many survivors were gathered at Gitarama. It was there that my grandmother released me into the custody of an orphanage, where she hoped that I could receive the education that she could not afford for me. I stayed in the orphanage and continued my studies there for some time. My studies were funded by FARG [a government program that supports orphans of the genocide]. One day a lady came to the orphanage, looking to adopt certain orphans from Kibuye (my hometown). Since the children she was adopting were my good friends, she decided to take me as well. I moved to Kigali with them and was happy with my living arrangement there. I lived in a house with other orphans. We all supported one another and kept from focusing our thoughts on traumatic memories of the genocide and the family members that we had lost.

In my last three years of high school, I took accounting courses. My dream was to continue with a university education if I could find funding, but I planned to work as an accounts clerk if I could not. At least by studying accounting, I would have a trade.

Someone who had known me at the orphanage in Gitarama contacted me and told me about Orphans of Rwanda. I learned that they offered financial support so that genocide orphans could pursue university studies. I immediately went to the office and submitted an application. I was asked to come back for a personal interview, and later learned that I had been awarded a scholarship. I truly believe that this was a divine miracle.

I started studying management at the Gikondo School of Finance and Banking in January 2007. I chose this course of study because it was the best fit with my high school courses. I had never made plans for university until I was made aware of the possibility of funding from ORI. After I finish my first degree, I hope to find sponsorship for a Master's degree.

I would encourage all orphans to keep themselves busy with constructive activities, such as reading and spending time with friends. I would also encourage them to focus on their studies. It is not easy to grow up without a family but dwelling on past tragedies is not constructive and can depress someone to the point where they are unable to get anything done.

I would like to thank all the ORI donors. What they have done is really great. It is very hard to find funding for tertiary studies here in Rwanda. If God blesses me with a long life, I hope to have the opportunity to meet some of the ORI donors and to thank them in person.