Former Rwanda women’s national team head coach, Grace Nyinawumuntu, says football played a vital role in helping her heal after losing her father during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Nyinawumuntu was among those affected by the Genocide during which more than a million people were killed.

After the tragic loss of her father, she found solace and purpose in football—a journey that would later define her life and career.

Today, the 43-year-old is widely regarded as one of Rwanda’s most accomplished female coaches. She currently serves as head coach of the Ottawa Gloucester Hornets, a youth team in Canada.

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Nyinawumuntu previously enjoyed a successful coaching career in Rwanda, where she guided AS Kigali Women to multiple national league titles. She also coached the Rwanda women’s national team as well as the PSG Academy before relocating to Canada for further coaching commitments.

Born in 1983, Nyinawumuntu faced hardship early in life. She lost her mother at the age of four and was raised by her grandmother alongside her two younger brothers.

Her childhood was further shattered by the genocide, which began while she was staying with her grandmother in Kibungo.

"We were hidden by a neighbor who later advised us to flee because Interahamwe militia would eventually come looking for us,” she recalled.

"For several weeks,” she said, "we moved from place to place, trying not to be seen. At one point, we nearly gave up due to exhaustion after days without food.”

Relief finally came when they encountered soldiers from the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

"We were among the first people to be taken to Kabarondo, the first refugee camp in Rwanda,” she said.

Despite the trauma she endured at just 11 years old, Nyinawumuntu developed a remarkably resilient outlook on life.

Her journey in football began in 2001 when women’s football was officially introduced by the local football governing body (Ferwafa). She was among the pioneer players and featured for her high school team, College Urumuri.

Nyinawumuntu said football has helped her heal her wounds caused by the genocide and eventually carved a niche in the sport as one of very few professional female coaches the country has produced in the past three decades.

"Football and sports in general help people overcome difficult experiences, especially after the genocide,” she said. "It is a universal language that transcends tribe and race.”

She added that football promotes unity, hope, love, and peace.

"It can bring together even those who were once enemies. It has been a tool for reconciliation in Rwanda and other societies recovering from conflict. If people embraced the spirit of fair play, as we say in football, the genocide might not have happened.”

In 2003, Nyinawumuntu played for AS Kigali, but her playing career was cut short by a recurring knee injury.

Determined to remain in the sport, she pursued studies in the Faculty of Sports at the former Kigali Institute of Education (KIE), where she became the first female graduate in 2007.

She soon transitioned into coaching, attending a clinic led by a German expert before traveling to Germany for a six-month training course—an experience that significantly shaped her career.

Nyinawumuntu attributes much of her success to discipline and teamwork.

"In my coaching career, discipline comes first. I don’t care how talented a player is—without discipline, they cannot play. It’s as simple as that,” she said.

Over the years, she has won multiple Rwanda Women’s Premier League titles with AS Kigali and secured three trophies at the PSG Academies World Cup. She also previously served as Technical Director of the Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy in Huye.

Through it all, Nyinawumuntu’s story remains one of resilience, healing, and purpose—demonstrating how sport can help rebuild lives even after the deepest tragedy.