In Safi’s words:
“It is now 30 years of commemoration and remembering the genocide against Tutsi… it seems like it was only yesterday. It is 30 years but we mourn for our loved ones!
I have a story, my own story and my family’s story because it is only me left to tell of their lives and their values. Every year I go to the Genocide memorial with flowers to visit them (as my mum loved flowers, especially roses).
I was born in Karongi District, former Kibuye, and I was eight years old during the Genocide with my parents and siblings. I’m the only one who survived the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi from my family of five back then. Some of my family were killed at Gatwaro Stadium, and the rest in the surroundings. After the difficult times of losing my family, I tried to go and hide but the Interahamwe found me and started hitting and cutting me with their machetes, and left me there, thinking I was dead.
After waking up the following day severely wounded and hungry, I went to an aunt who quickly took me to Kibuye hospital and from there, French soldiers took me to the Kituku orphanage in RDC. With many injuries and scars on my body I miraculously survived, but had to go through six operations to fix the injuries and wounds I was suffering from.
From that long, bad, and unbearable experience I promised God and myself that if I manage to survive and live again, I will dedicate my life to helping others.
After the Genocide, I was helped by my uncle, then my aunt, and all of this was possible because of the support I got through FARG, an organization that supports Genocide Survivors.
I have many things to thank God for. I thank Devon Ogden for helping me much to fulfill my promise I made to myself. Safi Life, our non-profit organisation, has a mission is to educate, empower and advance young Rwandan women, mostly single, pregnant, and those with young children, as well as all kinds of people in need that we have helped.
Safi Life has now reached many young women in different categories and different backgrounds and helped them to be self-reliant and take care of their babies and children. Not only do we train them in different crafts and skills like knitting, tailoring and other income-producing skills, we also mentor them on how to run their own business!
One main thing that gives me satisfaction is the fact that my life history has enabled me to help change other people’s lives, as I believe there is a reason I didn’t die.”
