BIO

Growing up, Laissa learned the importance of hard work, faith, and perseverance after witnessing the financial challenges her family faced. Laissa is one of four children. She grew up with parents who always valued education, despite any challenges they faced in affording school fees. Laissa’s hard work, along with opportunities like becoming a These Numbers Have Faces scholar, have helped her start a new chapter in her life. For Laissa, these opportunities helped instill a sense of hope and encouraged her to use her education to help create opportunities for community members. 

Laissa now studies Agricultural Land and Irrigation Engineering at the University of Rwanda. She dreams of being able to use her degree to promote sustainable water management and improve farm productivity in Rwanda. She hopes to create a lasting impact in her community by designing affordable irrigation solutions that assist smallholder farmers adapt to climate change and increase food production. 

Outside of the classroom, Laissa is passionate about participating in youth empowerment community projects. She also likes to read, spend time with family and friends, and serve others.