Class of 2017

My sister Aisha went to Akilah, and when we toured it for the first time, I saw all the posters on the walls with quotes that empower women. When I read them, I thought,

“Wow, my dreams are going to come true.”

The leadership course is very powerful. Before, I thought I couldn’t do math. I scored low marks at the beginning. But when we started the leadership course and I learned about the growth mindset, I said to myself, “Now I have to do it. I can do it.” I started practicing, and at the end of the Year 1, I was the best at math. Even the instructor complimented me and said, “Florence, congratulations! I didn’t know that you could do it.” It was because of leadership.

Florence pictured with her uncle, who encouraged her to move from Uganda to Rwanda to attend the Akilah Institute

At Akilah, they teach us how to select a goal and to make it realistic, measurable, and achievable. I had goals I didn’t even realize! I want to be a tour guide and operate a tour company. I’ll be the boss, and I’ll hire mostly women.

When I become successful, I also want my younger sisters to come and study at Akilah. You see, in our community they see a girl and think that she is going to get married, stay at home, and have babies. Only the boys get an education. So I want to show them that even we girls, we can be equal to boys and even better than them. We are the mothers of the nation. If the mother is educated, then she can build her children and her husband. She will develop the foundation of a great nation.