This is Amina’s story, as prepared by Doreen Umutesi, Compassion Rwanda Photojournalist.
A childhood shaped by illness and shame
I was sick for much of my childhood. We were living in poverty in a community in Rwanda. I was very small, and other children would bully me.
At social gatherings, people would criticise my mother, telling her she wasn’t feeding me properly. Once, she told me I embarrassed her.
Those words stayed with me. I wished I could be like other children. I wished I could be healthy, so that my mother wouldn’t feel ashamed.
The day everything began to change
I remember when Mum first took me to the Compassion project at our local church. I was so small that the other mothers pushed us out of the queue saying I was too young to register.
But my mother refused to leave. She insisted, and that moment changed my life.
At the project, I received food, clothing and care. Slowly, my body grew stronger. And as my health improved, something else changed too: my confidence.
The neighbours who once laughed at us began asking Mum how they could register their own children at the project.
Learning to dream
One memorable day, the Compassion tutors gave us each a book called My Plan for Tomorrow. It was a place to write our dreams.
I’d never thought about my future. But at the Compassion project, we learned our lives mattered and that God had created each of us with purpose.
In my book, I wrote that I wanted to become a businessperson. At the time, it felt impossible. But someone believed in me – that person was my sponsor.
I was sponsored through Compassion from the age of four and she’d write letters, saying things like, “I’m praying for you.” Those simple words gave me strength. They helped me believe that my life could be different.
From dreams to reality
Today, I’m the CEO of a social enterprise. I’m motivated because I saw many girls become pregnant young and drop out of school. I wanted to change what happened to my classmates.
I mentor teenage mothers, many of whom are barely out of childhood. I teach them cutting patterns, pressing seams and sewing. As their skills develop, they grow in self-confidence. They learn about finances and they begin to see how they can shape their futures.
I know what it feels like to believe you don’t matter. I know how powerful it is when someone tells you that you do. What matters most to me in this role is why I do it.
Amina observes young women learning tailoring skills at her Vocational Centre
Passing on the hope I received
Looking back, I see how those early moments shaped my life. The care I received through the local church and encouragement from my sponsor helped me to stay in school and gain the confidence to dream.
Once, I believed I was an embarrassment. Today, I know I was created with purpose. And now I want others to know that too.
You can sponsor a child and help provide the support, encouragement and opportunities they need to build a brighter future.
