Peace Uwimana

My name is Peace Uwimana from Uganda- Africa. I was born in 1990 as the second born in my family.  Throughout all these years life has not been straight, it has been a composition of trials, hard life, good life, times of sorrow and joyful times. Allow me share with you my life history.

 LIFE HISTORY

I was born in a family of 7 girls where I am the second born. At the age of four, I got an opportunity to stay with my maternal uncle who wanted to fulfil the pledge he had made to my mother to raise at least one child of hers. I stayed with him in Rwanda where he was working. The tragedy of Genocide that happened in Rwanda in 1994 was another trying moment that destabilized my life and the whole of our family. Because of this tragedy we returned to Kisoro, Uganda with basically nothing. My Uncle endured and continued looking after me even when life had changed totally. He continued paying for my fees and for his own biological children on the meager pay that he was getting. In 2003 by God’s grace I was able to finish my primary education. After my Primary level (Grade 7), my Uncle continued to support me and I attained my Middle and Advanced School levels of education. The purpose of my studies was to get a job in the future so that I would also raise my family from the hard conditions that they were facing. Today, I am testimony for this because I am now the sole provider for my family, which includes my Mother and 6 sisters. All my sisters are smiling today because I endured this hard life.

At the age of 19 when I was in my high school, it was unfortunate that we lost our father. He left us 8 in number, my mom, my 6 sisters, and me. Since then life has continued to be hard but our trust has been in the Lord Almighty who has continued to be with us and with all the support of the friends and relatives. He got for me a sponsorship at the university where I was able to study a diploma in languages sponsored by the French embassy.

Life became so sweet after the university because I made many friends who followed me in my life and made my life simple and enjoyable. After studies at the University I was blessed to have a job in the UNHCR Congolese refugee camp in Kisoro, Uganda, to work as a translator for Medical Teams International’s foreign volunteers. This was where my desire and passion for work was because the challenges of life that I had gone through. More so I always felt that I needed to be a voice to the voiceless. Whenever I have an opportunity to talk on behalf of someone who is suffering I understand their pain due to the suffering that I went through as well.

It was during my stay working at Nyakabande Transit Refugee Camp in Kisoro that I came to know Dr. Bruce. He has since then became my Second father and a very close friend. I bless the Lord for the way Dr. Bruce, my family and my Uncle have always supported me in all the dynamics of life. This has brought a smile on my face and the whole of my family.

God has continued to move me from one level of blessings to another, it was on 10^th September 2016 that I got united with the love of my life Bosco. Bosco has become my greatest brother and my lovable husband in my life and whatever I missed from getting from a brother, I have found it from Bosco. It was still on 10^th April at 3:00pm that God blessed us with a beautiful daughter called Deborah. She has brought a lot of joy to both of us, our relatives and all our friends both in Uganda and United states. We bless the lord for this and we hope for much more to come in future.

MY FUTURE LIFE GOALS

Ever since I started school and throughout my life I have always desired to study and advance every opportunity of learning that comes my way. Therefore because of this desire; I have set some goals in as far as my education is concerned.

• While I was working in the refugee camp we would have out reaches into the community. The very big number of people from Congo and the rest of Kisoro proved to be lacking a number of opportunities in their lives. They also did not know what to do in manipulating the little resources that were at their disposal so that they could improve their standard of living. This enticed me to advance my career and do a university degree in Development studies which I completed in the Spring 2016, I believe that it will facilitate me in my daily dealings and also in fulfilling my passion of developing the communities that I work with and being a voice to the needy.
• Continue to develop my multiple language skills so that I may help those from other countries and cultures who need assistance. In addition to English, I speak French, Swahili, Luganda, Rufumbira, Runyankore-Rukiga, and Kinyarwanda.
• I have also promised that all my fellow sisters will attain education since I have seen that it’s through education that one can break the poverty chain.
• To be a role model mother to my child and all others that God will bless me with and be the best wife to my husband.
• To be a great and passionate development worker ensuring that the best services reach the people I serve and all other people where my services will be deemed necessary.
• To be a great child development worker ensuring that the children I serve develop and become responsible citizens in this country and abroad and also become self-reliant people in future.

HOW I BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE RUBANDA NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL

As I mentioned above, during my time as a translator for the Congolese refugee camp in 2013 in Kisoro, Uganda, I came to know Dr. Bruce who was the physician working there. In turn, he introduced me to the Rubanda Solidarity School, located nearby.  I often visited the school between 2013-2015 and I got to know Father Dominic, the school administrators and the wonderful children being supported in the school. I was glad that through Dr. Bruce and Father Dominic that I learned a lot of information about the school and why it was so important to the entire Rubanda community.

My interest in serving these young people grew. Dr. Bruce became the first President of Yamba Abaana-USA in 2012 and encouraged my potential and passion for working with this important project. Over the next 2 years I did projects at the school to help with communication between sponsors and the children and to suggest other ways that the children and their education could be served. In 2015 I became the first salaried employee of Yamba Abaana-USA becoming their on-site liaison and project facilitator.

To me, having this job is a great opportunity to advocate for the rights of these young people. More so, this job is going to be a platform of encouraging some young children who might be going through different challenges that I also went through. I encourage them and keep them focused so that in the future they may become important people in their communities.

With the expertise I have acquired in my career in community development this job is going to help me so much to improve the communities and the homes where the students come from as well as the town of Rubanda.

In addition to this, being a full time staff now is going to help me have more time to train the staff and the children in the Kindle (electronic book) project so that they become more efficient and effective. This will add value to the knowledge they have by the use of the Kindles at school.

Having the job also is going to help me so much in strengthening the communication between the child sponsors and the beneficiaries. Since I am at the school full time (Monday-Friday), it is going to bridge the communication gaps that have been existing. My role at the school includes being involved in all of the many projects that Yamba Abaana is involved in. This includes working with a craft project of making lacquered paper necklaces by the teachers and children, making sure new mosquito nets are installed properly to protect the children from malaria, helping the sponsored children produce personal letters at least twice a year to their sponsors, serving on the school administrative Board, and facilitating and practicing improved agricultural practices for the Yamba Abaana caregivers who participate in agriculture. I also help to ensure best behavior amongst children at school, and offer career guidance to all children so that in the future they become responsible citizens. I am grateful to Yamba Abaana for giving me this opportunity to serve the school and the children. It helps me take care of my large family, it furthers my career goals, and it allows me to fulfill my passion to serve children and to give them the  opportunity for a good education and a better future.