The Young Women of ASYV Leading Change
The Girls of ASYV Are Taking the Shots
Each March, the students and staff of ASYV come together to mark Women’s History Month with performances, discussions, and campaigns. We also work together all year long to foster a supportive culture of gender equity. Our staff encourages all our students to challenge gender stereotypes and realize their full potential. Our students also inspire each other, including by encouraging their younger ASYV sisters to pursue passions in fields, like photography and videography, traditionally dominated by boys. We sat down with three ASYV students—Uwimpuhe Belyse, Class of 2025; Irakunda Sandra, third-year student, and Uwesa Keza Rabia, first-year student—to discuss what inspired them to get behind the camera.
“The first time I ever held a camera was at ASYV. A passion slowly grew within me, but I felt doubt within myself. Seeing the way Deborah, from the Class of 2022, carried herself in photography inspired me to keep learning. I gained technical skills. I also gained confidence and discipline. Now, I mentor younger girls in photography. I motivate them to believe in themselves. My advice is: Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. And remember, you don’t have to go alone. Together, you can go farther.” – Uwimpuhe Belyse, Class of 2025
“In my first year, I tried out a lot of different Enrichment Programs, but I found that the one that fit me the best was photography and videography. But when the environment has a lot of boys, you can feel shy. Belyse was the one who really inspired me. She said ‘Sandra, you can do this.’ She also started a media class for girls. I now help facilitate the class every Friday. The best thing I can tell the younger girls is to never give up. You as a girl can do anything, no matter what people tell you.” – Irakunda Sandra, third-year student
“I got interested in photography a few years ago, but there was no one to teach me. When I reached ASYV, I had the opportunity to learn. But I felt fear about asking boys in media club a favor like teaching me how to edit. The older girls in media, like Sandra, helped me get over my fear. Recently, there was a group of visitors at ASYV, and they gave me their camera to take pictures. I was really proud of the images and of sharing my skills. Photography isn't just taking pictures. It is expressing your feelings. – Uwesa Keza Rabia, first-year student
Closing the Equity Gap
Two years ago, we launched a new, more holistic gender equity strategy. The impact on our students is undeniable.
Alumni On the Move
How Julia Gihozo is Making Rwanda’s Technology Industry More Inclusive
Julia Gihozo
At ASYV, we support our students in building the confidence, skills, and passions to dream big and achieve those dreams. In fields from government to education to hospitality, our alumni are having incredible success pursuing their dreams and building thriving lives (as this study led by Tulane University shows).
Julia Gihozo graduated from ASYV in 2019 and from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2024. She is currently working for the Rwandan Ministry of ICT and Innovation while pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Sussex. We sat down with her to chat about her time at ASYV and how she’s helping build a better, more innovative world.
Can you tell us about your current job?
I work at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, where I’m helping shape Rwanda’s Science and Technology Centre from the ground up. Through the Science Centre, we’re rethinking how young people engage with science, how they see themselves in it, and how that translates into future pathways. It is my dream that innovation is inclusive, and that the systems we design create real opportunities for those who might otherwise be left out.
How did your time at ASYV impact you?
Before I came to ASYV, life was centered on survival. It was just my mother, my sister, and me, and every day was about making it through that day. There was little room to dream beyond the immediate. I still remember my mother having to choose between the next meal and healthcare. I carried questions I could not yet name, wounds I did not fully understand, and a quiet uncertainty about almost everything.
When I arrived at ASYV, something shifted. For the first time, I felt a sense of belonging. There was an unspoken feeling of, “I see you. I get it.” That was something I had never known before. Living with 17 other girls, each carrying her own story, created a kind of comfort that is hard to explain.
ASYV taught me something I still carry with me today: doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.
What were your favorite ASYV programs or activities?
Debate was one of the most transformative spaces for me at ASYV. I found my voice. It taught me that confidence is built, not handed to you like a certificate at assembly. I was also part of [the gender equity club] Girl Up. We did not only talk about being the change we wanted to see. We spent real time trying to create it. It taught me leadership in a practical, hands-on way.
Beyond the programs, it was the people who shaped me most. My [ASYV] Mama offered quiet, steady care. My teachers challenged me mercilessly—or at least that is how it felt at the time. Looking back, I know it was love and standards intended to help me become who I could be. My friends became lifelong companions, and staff brought a kind of nurturing that made the Village feel like home.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to keep working to close inequality gaps, especially in the way young people access opportunities in science, digital learning, and the future of work. As a first-generation graduate, I also hope to continue my academic journey by completing my master’s and eventually pursuing a PhD. Beyond career and academics, I hope to build a life that feels full, grounded, and joyful. I would love to start a family of my own, God willing, and create a home that carries the same sense of care and community that shaped me.
What ASYV Means to Me
An Original Student Video
On February 27, we held a special Village Time talent competition featuring the incredible visual art produced by our student media club. The panel of judges made up of ASYV alumni awarded “What AYSV Means to Me” the prize for best video. Second-year students Rusanganwa Asante Lucky, Shyaka Adore, and Bukuru Espoir collaborated on the piece, which brings the experiences of their classmate Sarah Irakoze Divine to life.
“We want to show everyone how before you come to Agahozo, you’ve been through a lot, you might have had a hard life,” says Lucky. “But when you reach here, everything changes.”
Congratulations to the creative team—and thank you for producing this wonderful testament to our Village and community.