As my plane landed in Kigali, I was confronted with the realization that I was a long way from home, embarking on a journey that would transform me for the rest of my life. Stepping into the city, I was met with winding roads lined with lush greenery, the buzz of motorcycle taxis, the warm, tropical, inviting climate, and a vibrant, fast-moving community. I was excited and ready for this chapter in my life, but I was unaware of how deeply this experience would affirm my passion for social impact and change my outlook as a first-generation student.
During my time with the Miller Center Lewis Family Fellowship, I worked with Jibu, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering local entrepreneurs by providing safe and clean drinking water. My team was tasked with developing a vetting profile of successful franchisees for use in recruitment. To achieve this, we conducted in-field ethnographic interviews, where we had the opportunity to closely engage with the people we interviewed and build meaningful connections. Furthermore, during my free time, I volunteered with Sheer Love, a local organization that uplifts young Rwandans by providing educational support after school. Others in my fellowship cohort also volunteered and contributed to the organization. We played games, learned traditional dances, and enhanced their studies through mentorship. Whether I was collaborating with Jibu or connecting with students at Sheer Love, I came away from these experiences with a deeper understanding of the importance of cross-cultural communication, a firsthand witness to how business could be a force for good, and a heightened desire to serve others.
I believe my experience as a first-generation student led to the realization that this part of my identity prepared me for spaces like this. My ability to pivot in ambiguity, my cross-cultural awareness, and my perseverance through unfamiliar situations are not just byproducts of my background — they are assets that will help me in my career and beyond. For other first-generation students, I hope to inspire that same passion for impact and communicate my story as a reminder that global experiences are within reach. Our individual stories and perspectives matter, and our impact can transcend borders.
My experience in Rwanda reinforced the idea that the pursuit of knowledge and purpose knows no limits. First-generation or not, the question is not whether we belong in these spaces — it’s how we choose to make them our own.
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Photos:
1. With my fellowship partner Julia Von Gersdorff at a Jibu franchise
2. Volunteering with Sheer Love
