Desange's Story: A Girl Who Refused to Give Up on School

Niyonasenze Desange is 16 years old and currently studying in Senior One at secondary school. She joined Art for Change Rwanda in 2022 and is a proud member of the Tailoring Department, where she has discovered confidence, creativity and the belief that she can achieve her dreams.

Life before that was very hard for Desange and her family. Because of poverty at home, she could not always attend school regularly. There were many days when she had to stay away because there was no money for school fees, uniforms or basic learning materials. As a child, it was painful to watch her education interrupted by circumstances she could not control.

Everything changed when Art for Change Rwanda welcomed her. The organisation began paying her school fees on time and providing the materials she needed to succeed. Today Desange can study without worrying about being sent home over unpaid fees. That has restored her confidence and given her hope for a brighter future.

Her health and wellbeing are looked after too. Through the organisation, she and the other children have health insurance, so they can access medical care whenever they need it. For her family, this has lifted a heavy burden and allowed Desange to focus on her education and personal growth.

What touches her most, though, is the love and care she receives. Art for Change Rwanda does more than meet physical needs. It makes children feel valued, protected and capable of great things. For many of them, including Desange, it has become a family.

Today Desange dreams of becoming a successful, skilled woman who can support herself and help others facing the hardships she once knew. She wants to use the opportunities she has been given to create change in her community and to inspire other young people never to give up on their dreams.