Credo was born in Rwanda on December 26, 1981. His father was a primary school teacher and his mother owned a restaurant. When he was growing up, Credo, his brother and two sisters went to school with their parents’ support. Credo was a good soccer player and he also practiced gymnastics, which he learned from neighborhood friends during his childhood. Credo was close to his family and he knew all of his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. They lived in neighboring villages and the entire family would celebrate holidays together.

When the genocide began, Credo’s father fled to another region where he was less well-known, since he was an important figure in the village where they lived. During an attack against their village, Credo, his mother and his siblings hid in the bush but dogs found them. Credo and his older sister ran for cover while their mother stayed behind to protect her two younger children, who couldn’t keep up with them. All three were killed. Credo went to live with the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) soldiers who saved him from the killing. He tried to return to his family but he learned that all of his father’s kin were dead. On his mother’s side, only some aunts had survived. Credo searched for his father for two years until he found his body; that is how he learned of his death.

After the genocide, Credo’s courage and will to live helped him survive. He had lost his mother, father, a brother and a sister but he had to go on. In school he befriended other orphans who comforted him and he did the same. Credo would walk 3 hours each day to get to and from school and he often lacked school supplies. Despite these challenges, Credo enjoyed school. His best memory is when he was number one in his class on several occasions.

Credo believes that education is the key to progress and that Rwanda is moving towards a bright future. After receiving an Orphans of Rwanda scholarship, Credo realized his personal aspiration to attend university. He is now a first-year student majoring in information technology at the Adventist University of Central Africa (UAAC). After he graduates, Credo wants to earn a Ph.D. and he would like to get married and have a family. Credo envisions that Rwanda will establish unity when people forgive each other.