Staff Spotlight: Valencia Twiringirimana

A conversation with Valencia Twiringirimana, Field Educator in Karwasa and May Staff Member Spotlight!

Tell us your name, position, and how long you worked for GHI?

I am Valencia Twiringirimana. I am a field educator. I give trainings about health and agriculture. I started working for GHI in 2014.

What does your job consist of?

I give health and agriculture trainings. I train women so that they learn to fight against malnutrition. We train them to help their kids be healthy. The lessons equip them with knowledge and skills that help them to take care of their children. As a result, the children grow up with good health. We have 13 lessons including One Pot, One Hour, the components of a balanced diet, how to make a home garden, etc. The garden helps them grow their own balanced meals. This helps families and their children live a healthy life.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I like training mothers and seeing the changes in their kids. That’s the thing that makes me happy. I like taking care of the kids and working towards fighting against malnutrition. My heart always thinks about them. When I am with them, I am always happy because they are the future generation of Rwanda. My job is training. Those kids are the ones that will take over my job.

How did you start working at GHI?

We first applied; the job advert was here at the health center. I was selected for the first round. We did a written test, and I passed it. We went to Kigali, Gasabo for the second test. I passed it. I was qualified for the job, so I started working for GHI.

Why do you think nutrition is so important?

Nutrition is so important because if a person eats healthy food, they live a healthy life. If you and your children eat healthily, it means you have nutrition knowledge. So, you are able to help other people who need nutrition knowledge. Also, if a kid eats well, they perform well in class. That positions them for a bright future. Nutrition is so important because it prevents kids from being underweight and having malnutrition diseases.

What’s your favorite vegetable?

I like amaranth.

What’s something about you your co-workers might not know?

I like praying.

What message would you like to give to all your co-workers at GHI?

I encourage my co-workers to love their job. They should do their job well. They shouldn’t focus on their benefits, rather, they should focus on the benefits of the families we work with. That helps the mothers see changes in their lives as you do something that impacts them positively. So, I encourage them to do their work with all their hearts with the purpose of making a positive change.

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Ikiganiro na Valencia Twiringirimana, Umufield Educator wa Karwasa akaba n’ umukozi w’ ukwezi kwa Gicurasi!

Watubwira amazina yawe, akazi ukora, n’ igihe umaze ukorera Umurima w’ Ubuzima?

Nitwa Twiringirimana Valencia. Ndi umu field educator, nigisha ubuzima n’ ubuhinzi. Natangiye gukora mu Murima w’ Ubuzima 2014.

Wadusobanurira birambuye akazi ukora?

Ndi umwigisha w’ ubuzima n’ ubuhinzi. Ntanga amahugurwa, mpugura abadamu ku bijyanye n’ ubuzima n’ ubuhinzi. Tubaha amahugurwa abafasha kurwanya imirire mibi mu bana. Tubaha amahugurwa kugirango abana babo babashe kugira ubuzima bwiza. Amasomo dutanga tuba dushaka kugira impinduka ku bana, afasha ababyeyi kugira ubumenyi buhagije bubafasha kwita ku bana. Bityo, bakagira ubuzima bwiza, bagakura neza ntakibazo. Dutanga amasomo y’ ubuzima; 13 arimo gutegura inkono imwe mu isaha imwe, indyo yuzuye. Tunabigisha uburyo bwo gutera imboga, gukora akarima k’ igikoni karambye. Ako karima kamufasha kuba yabona byabindi byangombwa bikenewe mu muryango. Bityo umuryango n’ abana bakagira ubuzima bwiza.

Ni iki ukunda cyane mu kazi kawe?

Nkunda kuba ndikumwe n’ ababyeyi mbahugura kandi nshimishwa no kubona impinduka ku bana. Nicyo kintu nkunda kandi nishimira. Kwita kubana turwanya ikibazo cy’ imirire mibi ni ikintu nkunda cyane nkora nitayeho. Umutima wanjye uba ubatekereza igihe cyose. Iyo ndikumwe nabo mba nishimye cyane kuko nibo Rwanda rw’ ejo. Akazi nkora: ndigisha. Abo bana rero nibo bazansimbura bakagakora.

Ni gute waje gukorera Umurima w’ Ubuzima?

Dutangira, twatangiye twandika. Amatangazo yatangiwe hano ku kigo nderabuzima. Ubwo tuza gutoranwa. Nyuma yo gutoranwa twakoze ikizamini, tugira amahirwe turagitsinda. Noneho tujya mu kizamini cya kabiri i Kigali muri Gasabo, nacyo turagitsinda. Ni uko twatangiye gukora mu Murima w’ Ubuzima kuberako natwe twari tugaragaje ubumenyi.

Ni ukubera iki wumva imirire myiza ari ingirakamaro?

Imirire myiza ni ingirakamaro kuko iyo umuntu abashije kurya neza agira n’ ubuzima bwiza. Iyo wariye neza n’ umwana yariye neza, ubasha kugira ubumenyi buhagije. Noneho ukabasha kuba wakwita kuri bagenzi bawe. Na wa mwana iyo yariye neza agira amahirwe yo gutsinda neza mu ishuri. Bityo akazagira ejo heza hazaza. Imirire myiza ni ingenzi kuko ituma udahura n’ ikibazo cyo kuba umwana yagira ibiro bicye. Ifasha umuryango kutagerwaho n’ ingaruka z’ imirire mibi.  

Ni uruhe ruboga ukunda cyane?

Njye nkunda dodo.

Ni iki abantu mukorana baba batakuziho?

Njyewe nkunda gusenga.

Ni ubuhe butumwa wumva wageza ku bandi bakozi b’ Umurima w’ Ubuzima?

Bagenzi banjye ndabashishikariza gukunda uyu murimo. Bagaharanira gukora umurimo unoze, ntibaharanire inyungu zabo bwite. Ahubwo bagaharanira inyungu z’ iyi miryango dukorana nayo kugirango ibashe kugira impinduka. Kuko iyo ukoze umurimo wawe unoze, bituma hagaragara impinduka kuri ba babyeyi uba witayeho. Rero, ndabashishikariza gukora imirimo yabo bayishyizeho umutima bagamije gutanga umusaruro.