DAVID'S STORY

Going to Rwanda was truly the greatest experience and I learned so much. My story was on a young entrepreneur, only 16 years old, who started a business to get his family out of poverty. Right now he only sells rabbits and pigs, but believes, despite all his hardships, he can become a rich man and support his family entirely. He is a remarkable young man, and he taught me so much about the power of opportunity, generosity, and faith.

Rwanda gave me a new perspective of the world. Before this trip, the only out-of-country place I had been was a resort in Mexico. I realized that I had never really experienced a new and different culture before and so it was good to get out of my comfort zone and do something exciting. I learned that Rwandan culture is humble and quiet, but they are full of life. They are passionate about their people, their arts, their history and their livelihoods. People, especially the older generation, have shown the world their determination through adversity and they are diligent workers. In my experience, I was shown repeatedly that Rwandans are very kind and hospitable people. The family I did my story on were extremely poor and yet, at every meal they shared food with me. It just showed me how good it is to always be kind.

This trip also gave me an experience as a photojournalist that I will never forget. I learned not only the technical side of photography and videography but also, how to be a good storyteller. Setting up the camera and asking questions is hard, but the true test is trying to capture someone’s story in the most genuine way possible.

Never in my life did I think I would have the opportunity to travel to another country and tell the story of a person so different from myself. However, I am so grateful I took the chance and had the experience I did.