"From Dropping Out to Dreaming Big: My Journey Back to School"

My name is Mukeshimana Pascasie, a young girl from Amashya village in Nyanza sector, Gisagara District. I am the daughter of a strong and courageous woman, my mother, who raised me alone after my father passed away when I was just 3 years old. Life has never been easy for us. My mother works as a casual laborer in people’s farms just to keep us going. Despite the struggles, I always loved school.

In Primary Six, I worked hard and passed the national examination with excellent results. I was selected to join a boarding secondary school. It felt like a dream coming true. But sadly, my joy didn’t last long. Due to our family’s poverty, my mother couldn’t afford the basic materials I wanted to stay in boarding school. I had to drop out. That moment broke me. I stayed at home, watching other children go to school while I buried my dreams deep inside my heart.

Everything changed in 2022 when I met with the team from FMI “Ubumuntu” during their Back-to-School Campaign. They listened to my story and told me that it was not too late. They promised to support me with school materials and encouraged me to go back to school. That day gave me hope again.

After becoming one of the beneficiaries of FMI "Ubumuntu", I joined their weekend and holiday coaching program. It helped me catch up with what I had missed and rebuild my confidence. My mother also got inspired. She joined a supported savings group formed through the project and began saving part of her small income. From her savings, she has already bought three goats, and she’s determined to do even more to support our family.

Today, I’m proud to say that I am in Senior 4 in combination of Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology (MCB) and I recently scored over 75%, which earned me a promotion to Senior 5. I now believe in my dream again. I want to become a medical doctor and serve in the Ministry of Health, helping people like my mother who struggle to access good healthcare. I also wish to one day work with FMI “Ubumuntu” to support other children from vulnerable families just like they supported me.

Later on, I also joined a traditional dancing group called IBIREZI N’AMASONGA, and became part of FMI “Ubumuntu” FC Academy, a youth football program created to discover and support children's talents. These activities helped me grow socially, connect with others, and build strong bonds of solidarity with fellow youth.

My journey has taught me that it is never too late to rise again. All it takes is someone to believe in you and for me, that someone was FMI “Ubumuntu”.

The Visit to the Office