Author on giving life’s silent heroes due acclaim
Thursday, September 01, 2022

Theobard Dusabimana has written ‘Heroes Behind the Curtains’, a book that recognises and expresses the importance of people whose names are less likely to be mentioned in success stories of other people and yet have helped them along the way. He dedicated the book to people who helped him since birth as a way of embracing their value.

According to Dusabimana, the idea to write the book came about in 2020 when Covid-19 cases soared across the country and resulted in closure of universities, among other public facilities.

As a year-four medical student, Dusabimana moved from the University of Rwanda - Huye Campus and returned home. While there, he says, he got time to reflect on his life, how far he had come and the people who helped him along the way.

He then decided to start writing about them with the intention to share what he had written on his graduation day. When his elder brother and a few other people read what he penned, they loved it and advised him to develop it into a book which turned out to have 222 pages.

Dusabimana realised that he couldn’t have reached where he is in life without the help of other people who tagged along and helped him out.

Theobard Dusabimana, author of ‘Heroes Behind the Curtains’. Photos/Courtesy

He calls them "heroes behind the curtains” because the world doesn’t see them as heroes, stars or pioneers.

In the book, he uses his personal stories and real-life examples to highlight the milestones one needs to take to become successful in life, and how many people play a huge and critical role in each.

He talks about earliest heroes, including parents who nurture a young baby; the forgotten heroes, including fellow children who accompanied him in childhood, and those who contributed to the advancement of his social life.

He also included teachers who exposed him to the outside world and the principles of living; that everything is governed by a set of rules he had to follow.

Dusabimana also talks about people who motivated him and helped him to overcome challenges along the way, like family members.

The author added chapters that talk about the people others seem to cherish for life as heroes — the ones who make everything work out in their lives.

‘Heroes behind the Curtains’ also leaves the reader with a task to fulfil a lifetime duty to re-look at the messages their lives give to the world.

"If you have been helped along the way, it gives you responsibility to be the light to the world. We are requested to strive and prepare to live a life of humility and integrity. The life that inspires others,” says Dusabimana, adding that the community needs people who are true and fair to themselves and others to enhance socio-economic development.

"Keeping memories and appreciating people who helped us along the way will enable us to fulfil the responsibility we have to them as well as their children and their children’s children. And if we keep that habit running, we will be able to sustain a better world with people who will be helping each other along the way.”

To get the book, contact 0781440346 or buy it on Amazon.