Deborah’s Business Club Experience Expands Her Career Horizons
From a young age, movies and television shows intrigued Deborah. She took a keen interest in the art form and was eager to learn how directors and producers made films. Deborah could see the power of great visual storytelling — its ability to evoke emotion, make you nostalgic, and even push you to take action.
Deborah’s photography.
"We would set up an imaginary wedding when playing. During each playtime, I ensured I was the camera person. I can't forget the super camera we created from mud, which made me feel creative. I always had a camera soul deep within me."
An opportunity came knocking when Deborah joined her school's Student Business Club in Rwanda. She had seen how the Business Clubs empowered young business owners from her school, so she grabbed the chance with both hands. “When I heard of the Educate! program, I said, ‘What if I join the Business Club at school and bring my ideas about photography and videography to see if it can be impactful to the community?’”
For Deborah, being a member of the Business Club opened up numerous possibilities. It gave her the platform to harness her competitive energy and strengthen her communication, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills — the opportunity to turn her passion into a business that drives impact.
Before Educate!, Deborah had already begun making waves. As a member of her school’s media club, she questioned why girls never took the lead in operating cameras, and moving forward, she sought to change that stereotype.
In an effort to drive positive change in her community and school, Deborah approached experts in different fields and asked for their advice. One of her teachers soon opened her eyes to the need for climate change mitigation. This concept quickly gave birth to action, prompting Deborah to join and become president of an environmental conservation club within her community.
As her Business Club prepared for the district-level competition, Deborah collaborated with her team to combine her passions for creative endeavors and environmental initiatives and turn them into concrete plans. She pushed forward two submissions: an enterprise creating art made from recycled materials and a videography and photography business. Deborah’s efforts made a name for her school as the recycled art venture was named “Most Impactful to the Environment.”
Today, the 20-year-old is in her final year of secondary school and is working hard to grow her own photography and videography social enterprise. She’s always looking to capture meaningful moments — both the major life milestones, like graduations, and the everyday activities of the members of her community.
Deborah and her teammate at the Student Business Club competition.
After graduation, Deborah wants to become a full-time videographer. Being part of the school's Business Club helped the high-achiever garner the skills and expertise to showcase her talents, grow her business, and effect change around important issues. Her next project is a documentary about genocide survivors, which she hopes will provide a safe space for her audience to heal.
For Deborah, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Joining her school's Student Business Club gave her the tools and opportunity to turn her passion into impact.
"I want to be a strong woman in the world: see the world, and show it to others."
Video Deborah created for the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV)