”Working for the Red Cross gave me confidence as young girl to have a say in public and that I can be useful in the society. Through volunteering I have gained much experience and learned much, for example about being a leader and making decisions that impact many. This was not easy, though, because I was leading people that were older than me. When starting volunteering in the Red cross, I just thought of it as a mere humanitarian job, but on the contrary it has now become my other family.

I will not go into the history of our country here, but I grew up in Rwanda after we had experienced the genocide against Tutsi, and I was a victim of it. I grew up hopeless for the future because I was an orphan, so the Red Cross helped me to change the perspective of life, I had to see life in the brighter manner. I truly believe that if we change out mindset, we can change our lives, and also play a great role in changing it for our fellow women. For this, I would say, I am living proof.

My country is situated in the great lakes region, which has experienced civil wars for the last three decades, and I have been working in refugee camps, helping the needy. This has created a big heart towards humanitarian work. Now I believe every global citizen deserves a good life. Now I feel like I am a global citizen, fighting for women empowerment, promoting a better life for other global citizens.

The advice I give my fellow women all around the world is that there is nothing served on a sliver plate, hell no, everything comes through grabbing the small opportunity that comes a long your way. In life there is nothing that is due to chances, instead all is gained through having the right attitude, humility, determination and hard work. So please my dear women out there, let us change our mindset, to change the world to be a better place for human species.”