Mukamana Thérèse
Mukamana Thérèse (Strength on the Path Home)
I met Mukamana Thérèse in Kirehe District, on her way home from the fields. She was walking with quiet grace, balancing a bundle of sweet potato leaves on her head, food for her animals after a long day of farming.
What caught my eye was not just the weight she carried, but the calm strength in her expression. Behind her walked her young son, also carrying sack of potatoes on his head. They moved together in rhythm, mother and child two generations working hand in hand to survive.
As we spoke, she shared her story. Thérèse is a mother of three one daughter and two sons. Her husband left years ago, leaving her to raise the children alone. Life has not been easy. Yet in her voice, I heard no bitterness, only determination. She works every day under the sun to feed her family, embodying the courage and resilience that define so many Rwandan women.
Through this painting, I wanted to honor Thérèse’s dignity, the beauty of her strength, and the love that keeps her walking forward despite life’s hardships.
I met Mukamana Thérèse in Kirehe District, on her way home from the fields. She was walking with quiet grace, balancing a bundle of sweet potato leaves on her head, food for her animals after a long day of farming.
What caught my eye was not just the weight she carried, but the calm strength in her expression. Behind her walked her young son, also carrying sack of potatoes on his head. They moved together in rhythm, mother and child two generations working hand in hand to survive.
As we spoke, she shared her story. Thérèse is a mother of three one daughter and two sons. Her husband left years ago, leaving her to raise the children alone. Life has not been easy. Yet in her voice, I heard no bitterness, only determination. She works every day under the sun to feed her family, embodying the courage and resilience that define so many Rwandan women.
Through this painting, I wanted to honor Thérèse’s dignity, the beauty of her strength, and the love that keeps her walking forward despite life’s hardships.