BIO

Elia was born into a family of twelve – his parents and ten children. His parents are subsistence farmers. Elia grew up in a rural village, which had no electricity, no proper roads, no water, and no real infrastructure like schools and health clinics. In Elia’s words, “This made my childhood life very daunting and stressful.” Elia walked more than twelve miles just to get to school. The closest water source was three miles away! Because of these challenges, Elia didn’t start school until he was eight years old. These challenges also instilled in Elia a strong sense of perseverance.

Elia attends the University of Rwanda, where he is studying Biomedical Laboratory Sciences. His dream is to establish hospitals and clinics in his home community to improve and elevate the health of his community members.

When not in the classroom, Elia loves playing the piano and playing soccer. He’s also passionate about science. He’s also the co-founder of the Mbwira Foundation, a student-led organization focused on helping fellow students experiencing depression.