“Echoes of Home—My Heart” by Nsabimana Uwacu Gyslaine
I, a Rwandan woman, am a writer, artist, and storyteller, shaped by memory, culture, and the daily realities of life in my village. I am the child of Gakenke, molded by scarcity and the quiet courage of those around me. I am laughter in the market, whispering prayers of my elders, and the rhythm of long walks to school. I am also sorrow, trauma, and the quiet weight of depression, yet through writing and art, I have found my refuge, my voice, and my healing.
I am resilient. I am love in many forms—family, friends, and fleeting relationships that have shaped my heart. I am grief and joy, lessons learned in the spaces between loss and hope. Every poem, sketch, and story I create is a mirror of my journey, transforming personal struggle into something universal, accessible, and resonant. I am vulnerable rendered as art, courage rendered as words, and identity rendered as expression.
I am a recent high school graduate, navigating the uncertainty of college applications and the sting of rejection despite my strong grades. I am the young woman facing the frustration of doors that seem closed, while holding onto my dreams and creative ambitions. I am resilient in the face of setbacks, determination in the pursuit of education, and hope that the right opportunities will align with my vision. I am learning that growth often comes through challenge, and that my creativity and voice remain my most steadfast companions.
I am a participant in communities of women creatives. I engage virtually on platforms like Artmajeur and social media, exchanging ideas, feedback, and inspiration. I engage physically in school clubs, workshops, and local events, learning from peers who challenge and uplift me. I am collaboration, dialogue, mentorship, and celebration. I am reminded that creativity is never solitary—it thrives in connection and shared experience.
I am memory, culture, and identity intertwined with the lived experiences of an African woman. I am stories untold, voices amplified, and moments immortalized. I am offering my life through my art and writing, inviting others to witness the textures of my world—the pulse of my community, the courage in my heart, and the beauty I find amidst struggle.
I am part of the AROHO circle because it represents belonging, validation, and shared growth. I am inspired by women whose voices enrich and expand my own. I am contribution and resonance, courage and authenticity, heart and vision. Through this circle, my work extends beyond personal expression, participating in a collective celebration of women’s creativity.
I am healing and hopeful. I am strong and vulnerable. I am the complexity of love, friendship, family, trauma, and the self. I am a Rwandan woman, offering my heart, my story, and my creativity to the world, unflinching, alive, and deeply human.
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Nsabimana Uwacu Gyslaine Artist Statement:
I am a writer, artist, and creative storyteller who finds inspiration in the intersection of culture, language, and lived experience. Rooted in Rwanda, my art speaks from a place of resilience, spirituality, and womanhood shaped by both scarcity and imagination. English, French, and Kinyarwanda shape my rhythm; faith and observation guide my vision. Through writing and visual art, I transform personal and collective memory into narratives that affirm identity and belonging. My creativity is not just expression—it is survival, connection, and the pursuit of beauty in everyday realities.
My writing and art are the places where I become whole. They allow me to speak when silence is expected, to heal what memory breaks, and to reimagine what being a Rwandan woman means. Every poem, sketch, or story I create is an act of reclaiming — of turning pain, love, and history into language and form. My art holds the voices of my ancestors, the rhythm of my village, and the courage of a girl still dreaming. It means freedom, witness, and belonging all at once. Through it, I exist loudly, truthfully, and again.
