In 2018, Yvette was a Senior 4 student at a school in Rwamagana district, Rwanda — proud in her uniform, backpack slung over her shoulder, working hard to keep her place in the classroom despite the odds stacked against her.
Today, she is weeks away from graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, ready to bring her skills back to her community.
A Hard Start
Yvette was born in Kayonza district in 2003. Her mother worked as a farmer, raising Yvette and her three siblings alone after her father passed away when Yvette was still young. Money was tight, and school fees were a constant struggle.
“My mother was struggling to get our school fees because we weren’t financially secure,” Yvette recalls. Even so, she excelled — passing her primary school national exams and earning her place in secondary school. But as she moved through secondary school, the financial pressure grew heavier.
FAET Steps In
In 2018, FAET began supporting Yvette — covering school fees and providing the materials she needed to keep learning. Co-ordinator Annet provided pastoral care.
“FAET came in and they provided all I could need, like school fees and all the school materials I needed at that time, which helped me in my studies,” she says.
With that support in place, Yvette set her sights on becoming a nurse.
Mentorship That Shaped Her Path
In 2023, as she prepared for the next step, Yvette was invited into FAET’s mentorship programme, run in partnership with the Friends Career Centre (FCC).
“This programme played a big role in improving my skills in every aspect, because it was very useful,” she says. The workshops and mentorship gave her not just technical knowhow and grounding but the confidence and practical skills to navigate university and beyond.
Looking Ahead
Yvette is now in the final stretch of her Bachelor’s in Nursing, preparing to graduate and start her career caring for patients in the community.
“I am about to end my Bachelor’s in Nursing, and I am looking forward to finding a worthwhile job after completing my studies.”
From a schoolgirl in Rwamagana to a soon-to-be nurse — Yvette’s story is a picture of what steady, sustained support can make possible. FAET is proud to have walked part of that journey with her, and excited to see where she goes next.
[Photos: Yvette in her school uniform, 2018 — and Yvette in scrubs during her nursing training, 2026]