women-journalists-from-rwanda

"I was among the first people to read Petit Pays when it was first introduced in the country, and the story touched my heart ."

"When the book went on the Rwandan market, I was the first to read it and its story really touched me. I was so excited to play a principal role in its film and I am so excited about such a big prize like this because it is my very first prize as an actress ."

"It’s a role I played with all my heart because it reflects on things we witnessed and happened to our loved ones. People like Yvonne exist in Rwanda because there are so many people in the country who have the same story as Yvonne’s in the film ."

"I was so excited to have played the main role in this movie, and I am thrilled about the award because it is my first prize as an actress. It is an enormous honour for me and for my country ."

"He has always been there for me and continues to encourage me. I would say things are no longer as difficult as they were when I started out because I have been able to establish myself in the sports world,"

"Chances and opportunities are there, they should not slip away. We have to work very hard. We need to have discipline even when others do not know it and avoid drugs."

"We must have friends who are important to us rather than waste time gossiping about others."

"I chose to practice sports Journalism because I felt I could."

"Being born near the stadium was one of the factors that made me fall in love with sports"

"I believe in dreaming big no matter what comes your way. That was inspired by Andrew Kabura of SuperSport"

"I find myself reflecting on the resilience of women and the incredible power we hold to heal."

"I have walked the long and painful road of trauma, grief, and healing. I have also witnessed, time and time again, the strength of women; the way we rise, even when the weight of the world is on our shoulders."

"In a country that has endured the worst of humanity, it was women who stood at the forefront of healing, We carried not only our own pain but also the burdens of our families and communities."

"Women have the power to heal a nation, We are tender, we are listening, and we understand pain in ways that make us natural caregivers.."

"We dreamt of a place where people could find mental health support free from stigma and judgment. At the time, we only knew that Rwanda needed a safe space for mental health, but we did not realize just how deep that need ran."

"My message today is simple: Let’s help each other. Let’s seek help when we need it. Let’s be strong -not by pretending we have it all together, but by allowing ourselves to heal and by supporting one another."

"On this International Women’s Day, I celebrate every woman who has found the courage to heal. I celebrate the women who stand beside others, offering a listening ear and a helping hand."

"Healing is not a privilege; it is a right. And when women heal, families heal. Communities heal. Nations heal."

"To every woman reading this: Your well-being matters. Your healing is powerful. Your resilience is shaping a better world. Do not give up!"

"It is a long story but my whole life has been about sports. I tried playing very many games as I grew up, especially football. I studied high school on scholarship because of playing football,"

"It hasn’t been a smooth journey as it may seem. I have encountered many stumbling blocks along the way, especially people telling me things that demotivate me but I keep moving,"

"I didn’t lose sleep over that situation. I thought people were actually joking about it because anybody can buy the national team jersey in many shops around town. I also bought my jerseys from different shops,"

"It is a lot of work but naturally I love to work and do whatever I want to do well. We were given a good reception here but it is a humid country but all is well,"

"Be ready to learn on the job, take criticism positively and stay alert and informed because to be a good sports journalist or presenter, you need to always stay ahead of the pack in terms of being informed and updated on what is going on,"

"They are capable of doing that. They can now do a wide range of things thanks to their skills."

"With as many young people in the 15th Edition, it stands to reason that they will also be instrumental in the 30th Edition. They will be among the organisation’s elders. The organisation will gain from them on a technical and player level."

"their influence and legacy will be visible in Tour du Rwanda and other cycling events. Young people have a fantastic chance here that needs to be taken advantage of."

"Even when it is evident that women are just as able as men, some individuals stubbornly still think women are weak. Female celebrities face hurdles in their journey just like other people. Some people think they have no emotions but they do, they have feelings too. Women can do even better if they are supported fully. We need society’s support."

"The pregnancy news is said to have put a pause on rumours that the two were ready to tie the knot. We are definitely keeping an eye on this one."

"Life is not just ice cream and candy, but there are many challenges. In life, you will face many things that discourage you, but you will be strong because when you know what you want, you get hurt, but what you want to achieve, you achieve."

"God knew the right season and I trust his timing. I am grateful for his grace, mercy, and love."

"For young girls out there, they should excel in what they do because you never know who's watching or listening. I didn't know about LIMA, but they had representatives in every country. Whenever they want contestants from eight or 10 countries, they always send representatives to identify who's eligible."

"This award isn't just for me alone. It's for all those in the media and entertainment industry who haven't received recognition yet. To them, I say, keep going, your moment will come. I dedicate this award to all of you as well."

"I still have a lot to achieve in life. In the morning, I work at the radio station from 6am to 10am, then after I go for rehearsals with the Mashirika troupe. I then go to the night club to spin discs and I finish at 3am and go home."

"Since I was the first born in my family and my father was dead, I had to wake up and look for ways to move forward. I never thought about the fact that I was just a child, but I focused on what I could do. I wanted to be independent and live on my hard earnings."

"Those who know me very well are my family and close friends. They used to fight for me every time someone abused or disrespected me. They will never believe such lies because they know me very well."

"I always try to stay disciplined. To achieve my goals, I don’t need someone behind controlling me because I know what I want."

"I do not use drugs; I have never taken beer either. I believe that drugs can prematurely end a person’s career, so I stay away. I am sure that my future gets brighter every day. I am still far from where I want to reach so I cannot put my life in danger."

"I want to be a role model so that anyone tempted to give up can get motivated by me and keep going."

"I still have very many things to do. I am at 80% - I want to be internationally known."

"I want to have my own entertainment company and focus on women with talent."

"I am a respected woman and I barely see any negative stuff about me in the media. I carry myself with dignity because I believe it’s us who give the media what to write about, if someone is bad they write bad stuff about them but if they are good then what is written about them is good too,"

"There is a factor of some female journalists who are lazy and don’t want to make an effort; this is on both men and women but because of the little number they only condemn girls and leave behind boys."

"In some cases, a girl can pitch a story idea but the editors who are men may think that she would pass it to a man to handle. Women are able but sometimes they are not given equal opportunities as men,"

"It has been therefore proven that journalism is an essential service like those other services which are vital for society even when everything came to a standstill. It will be crucial for the government to consider this sector for a stimulus package to sustain it."

"We did not have many women who reported on political affairs, but because they used to see me do it – I did it for many years (about six or seven) – they felt motivated."

"It is a talk show that makes me happy when I see women who are doing it including Scovia Mutesi, and Ines Ghislaine Nyinawumuntu, daring to ask leaders questions."

"Apart from that, I also made progress in livelihoods through the media. Now, I own a media company – AFRI-MEDIA Ltd (which I started in 2010) – which I am proud of."

"Challenges that existed in the past include that journalism was considered a profession for men."

"Overall, the then society applied a label to a woman who was in the media, because of the nature of this job – a woman who does not live at home, who even goes to work during weekends and nights."