To a person who grew up in a two-parent household with a bunch of siblings, it’s quite hard to imagine how life is for someone who happens to be the only sibling, and more to that, raised by a single parent. During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Cathia Uwamahoro was only six-month-old when his father was killed along with other relatives. At the time, her family was living in Gisozi, a suburb in Kigali. Her mother miraculously survived with her. She was the firstborn and for this reason; she ended up being the only child. “Growing up as the only child at times made me pretty sad, especially seeing other families with many children. Besides, I also craved for the fatherly figure and love, the things that were not easy to put up with as a child,” she told Weekend Sport on Wednesday. Uwamahoro, 27, is currently the longest-serving player in the women cricket national team, having made her international debut in 2008. / Photo: File Although his absence left an indelible mark on her life in general, Uwamahoro points out that it also made her strong just by looking at how her mother worked hard for them to survive. Her mother’s dedication, she says, is not only impressive from an objective standpoint, but it is the best model for hard work that she has ever seen. “Watching my mother work so hard ceaselessly has pushed me to do my absolute best in everything I undertake. I never think that anything is impossible so long as you keep grinding away at it. I always want to give as much of myself as I possibly can.” Finding a family in cricket Uwamahoro is arguably Rwanda’s most famous female cricketer, popularly known for breaking a Guinness World Record for the longest cricket net session by a woman in February 2017. Becoming a world record holder did not only raise the profile of the sport in Rwanda, but it also helped Uwamahoro achieve her dream. The sport, she says, has impacted her own life in many ways including getting a new family, which has seen her find comfort because of the love and the unity people have in this particular game. Besides, her game has as well improved, and so has her self-confidence, something she says matters the most. “When I joined cricket, I was inspired by the unit and love in the sport’s fraternity. To me, this was like finding a second family; it helped me to have faith and focus on building a hopeful future instead of being held back by what happened. I am not lonely anymore,” she noted. Uwamahoro also urges younger generations to always be eager to learn about the country’s history. From here, she underlined, they will be able to understand what exactly happened, and help them ensure it never happens again. “We have to continue rebuilding our country. Love each other as Rwandans and always preach peace. As young people, we must be at the frontline of actively promoting the very values that enabled the country to bounce back from its dark past.” Uwamahoro also adds that young people are in good position to learn and understand much faster; therefore, using this opportunity to make a positive change is important for the benefit of the nation.
