Leilah Ingabire

My mother finished secondary school and set up her own business taking portrait photos. I am not sure, but I think that my father also finished secondary school. My happiest childhood memory was when my mother, who had left my father, returned home to be with the family.

When I was 16, my mother died of cancer, and left my siblings and me without parents. As a child, I loved reading and playing volleyball.

My family had migrated to Uganda in 1959, when the first genocide was taking place. I was born and grew up there. The 1994 genocide affected mostly my mother's family. Some of our relatives died.

We returned to Rwanda in 1995, when the genocide had finished. There were still dead bodies all over the place. Fellow citizens - people who lived together - were poisoning each other's food. They wanted to kill more people, and would poison bananas, and other street foods to do so. There were still soldiers at hospitals and at schools - you couldn't go anywhere alone. The conditions were terrible, and we returned to Uganda after one month.

At school, my best subjects were economics, biology and accounting. While I still had my parents, I had time for school. After my mum died, we had a problem of satisfying our needs, such as food. My sisters were 13, 8, and 6. I also had problems with my sisters. They didn't understand what was happening because they were so young. I used to look at my little sisters and think "Who is going to help us?" Sometimes, we would not see anybody for over two months. Sometimes, family friends could give us a little money. Life was very hard.

In the end, we moved in with my uncle. He did what he could with limited ability. For two years, I would sometimes wake up early in the morning and start the housework. Then at 8:00, I would go to school, come back home late and start with the housework. On Sundays, my aunt would come to help me, so I could go to church. I kept working because there was nothing else I could do.

School was important because I wanted a good future. When I was at school, I would really concentrate, because I knew that it was the only time that I had to study. Yet before I got used to it, it used to affect me. In my second year of secondary school, I didn't perform well. In the end, I asked my uncle to take me to boarding school, so I could concentrate and study for my national exams. I was very happy when he agreed.

I was so happy when I got the chance to be sponsored by Orphans of Rwanda. Before I got that sponsorship, I would try to find a job so that I could get some money to go to university. I want to be a professional accountant and work in accountancy and auditing. I also want to help make Rwanda financially stable and fight corruption. I hope to help fellow women and orphans improve their lives. I would also like to teach orphans that being an orphan does not limit your success in life. I want to help my family as well, because I have three little sisters.

My advice to other orphans is that they should remain positive. They have to concentrate and remember that life goes on. Not all orphans live in bad conditions, and not all children who have their parents have a good life. Orphans must be strong.

Rwanda is developing rapidly, especially compared to how it was before the genocide. I think that in ten years it will be great, peaceful and full of hardworking people. I especially look forward to watching women take more active roles in society and contribute to the development of a great country.

However, I am not happy with the education system, particularly because the subjects we can study here are limited. We are lacking necessary subjects, such as tourism. I am also unhappy with the healthcare system because the poor generally do not receive good treatment. Medical professionals are often unreliable and will prescribe medications to make more money. I had been to several different clinics before receiving sponsorship from ORI. When I had enough money, I would go for health checkups even if I was not sick. Although, when I had malaria and typhoid, I was treated successfully.

I believe that foreigners are doing good work in Rwanda. They are needed to help the country develop and to bring good ideas. I want to say thank you to Orphans of Rwanda. To get the chance of sponsorship and a university education is so great. I really appreciate it. It's my dream actually! Before I had no hope but now, I dream everyday about when I'll start university. Thank you very much.