Organization: Friends Career Center (FCC)
Region: Africa
Nationality: Rwanda
Country: Rwanda
Interests & expertise: Co-morbidities (NCDs, mental health, etc.)
Profession or occupation: Advocate/activist
What inspires you to work in the HIV field?
What inspires me to work in the HIV field is my own lived experience. I was born with HIV, and growing up, I faced stigma, isolation and many mental health struggles. For a long time, I felt silenced by fear of judgement. But with time, I chose to be open about my status, and that decision transformed my life. It gave me freedom, confidence and the ability to connect with others who are silently carrying the same burden.
Art became my pathway to healing. Through creativity, I found a way to process pain, rebuild hope and empower myself. That is why I founded Ubugeni Bwomora (“Art that heals”) to use art as a tool for mental well-being and to create safe spaces for others living with or affected by HIV.
I am inspired because I know what it means to feel invisible, and I want no young person in my community to go through that alone. Working in the HIV field allows me to turn my story into strength, to fight stigma and to show that living with HIV is not the end, but a beginning of courage, resilience and possibility.
What are your goals as an IAS change maker?
As an IAS change maker, my goal is to use my voice and lived experience to break the stigma surrounding HIV and mental health, and to show that young people living with HIV can lead, inspire and create change. I want to expand the work I am doing through Ubugeni Bwomora by introducing art as a tool for healing and empowerment to more young people affected by HIV.
I aim to create safe spaces where young people can share their stories, learn coping strategies and build resilience together. My goal is not only to reduce stigma, but also to normalize conversations about mental health within the HIV response because I believe that true well-being goes beyond treatment; it includes emotional and psychological healing.
Through the change maker platform, I want to connect with other youth leaders globally, learn from their experiences, and bring back knowledge and innovative approaches to my community. Ultimately, my goal is to empower young people to thrive, not just survive, and to see themselves as agents of change in the HIV response.