I am Yankurije Alphonsine, I am 33 years old and I am currently living in Kigali, Rwanda.
I was born in 1988 in Nyarugenge city, one of expensive Cities in Kigali, at that time, my Father was an engineer in Kigali and my mother was a nurse at CHUK hospital. We were among rich families until Tutsi genocide hit the country.
On 17th June 1994, Interahamwes invaded our home and killed My Father, Mother and my three old brothers. Arriving at me, I was told that they tried to kill me but RPA Inkotanyi Soldiers arrived immediately and Interahamwes ran away. RPA took me to a local nun (Immaculee) to take care of me as I was still a child. RPA handed to that nun a note with the day when my family was killed and Immaculee decided to raise me as her own child.
With the help of Cartas, a catholic organization that helps orphans, I was registered and was able to start my primary school in 1995 at Ecole primaire de Kimisagara. After finishing my primary school in 2001, Immaculee died in a car accident and life began being harder than usual. After the death of Immaculee, I was not able to get food and some materials that were not offered at Cartas. I approached a priest and Cartas to ask if I can get some help from the church but he told me that the help is not currently available.
As it was not possible to continue school without food, clothes and other shelters as Cartas only paid for school fees, I dropped from school and started living on my own. In 2003 I went to search for a job and get one in Masaka sector, Kicukiro district as a baby sitter. In the beginning it seemed to be a nice job as I really enjoyed living with children and I was still young, but after 0ne week things began to change.
My mistress instructed me not to eat in the same house (Main house), I had to eat in the kitchen after they eat. I had no right to eat meats and other good foods like French fries and Milk. My schedule was very tight: I had to wake up earlier in the morning at 5:00 AM and mop the entire house, clean all things in the house, at 6:00 AM I had to wake children and prepare them, feed them and then at 7:00 AM I had to escort them to their school as they started at 7:30 sharp. After coming from school I had to clean all the vessels and cook food that will be used as Lunch, after I had to go back to school to pick up children and feed them at home then during the afternoon I had to go to fetch water, wash clothes and cook diner and prepare the breakfast that will be served in the morning. Due to tight schedule and hard work I used to sleep at midnight. At Home, there were cameras and I had no gut to do anything against set rules and regulations that was instructed to me. I was like a prisoner in that house, I had no place to escape to as I had nowhere to go, every night was a crying time of mine. My boss treated me as if I did something wrong, I had to work even if I was very sick, they paid me 5000 Rwandan Francs per month ($5), when I accidently broken a glass or something else, I had to pay it on my salary.
One afternoon in 2004 on a sunny day, I was on my way from fetching water, exhausted and singing a gospel song, I met with a good looking man wearing good blue jeans, white T-shirt and white sneakers, he greeted me and told me that he is new in the neighborhood and asked me about directions. After giving him all information he needed, he thanked me and asked me where I live, I pointed a finger as I was nearby. Once in a while I found someone who talked to me politely and treated me as a human being. He told me that he is John and I told him my names too. After few minutes with him, he said goodbye and continue his journey.
After few days, I went to the market few hours on foot from home, I met John again, at the first I didn’t recognize him as he was in a very nice black car but he called me by my names. We talked a little bit, He told me about himself and I told him about myself and surprisingly John owned one of respected hotels in Kigali. During our conversation John told me that he knew a man who looked a lot like me and he told me his names, with tears in my ears, I told him that he was my Father. He told me that I have to park all my stuff and come to his Hotel and promised me to tell me all things he knew about my father. He gave me address and his phone numbers.
The next day, I remember it was on 4th July 2004 on Sunday earlier in the morning, I packed all my stuffs and said goodbye to my mistress and boss. They said that they won’t pay me but I was determined to leave them, I used my savings to buy ticket and a new phone. I called John after arriving at the given address, with a very big smile, he welcomed me and told the manager that I am his special guest and asked the manager to treat me as John’s daughter.
As I was only 16 and was not allowed to work under ILO laws, John decided to help me take 3 years of training in cooking, languages and driving. John paid all the expenses he offered me a place to stay at the Hotel and I ate on the preferred dishes at the Hotel. Once I asked John why he is helping me unconditionally and he said that he has decided to help me because the man that I told him was my Father, my father helped him a lot when he was still young gentleman and he revealed to me that the hotel that he is running was started by my father before Interahamwe killed him.
After Finishing all my training John named me a partner and gave me 70% of shares of that Hotel as a share of my father but I refused and decided to keep 40% and Let John own 60% as he was the one with enough skills to run a 5 stars Hotel. Since then I have a good life I was married to a good Husband I now have 3 Kids who look a lot like my parents.
