Finding Motherhood: A Journey Through Absence and Love

"Tracing the heartbeat of motherhood through the eyes of the motherless, where love is learned, felt, and shared."

What does it truly mean to be a mother? This question has guided my journey, shaped profoundly by my own upbringing in an orphanage, where I never had the chance to meet my birth mother. Growing up without a mother’s presence left me with questions about love, care, and the roles women play in nurturing life. In August 2019, I embarked on the Motherhood photo essay to explore the essence of motherhood in Rwanda—a journey to understand its challenges, joys, and the diverse experiences of women across the country.

This project includes stories from mothers of all kinds: single mothers, young mothers, experienced mothers, grandmothers, and women who have chosen not to have children. Through these narratives, I aim to illuminate the profound strength, resilience, and compassion that mothers embody, celebrating the diversity of experiences and the love that shapes families.

Among the stories that touched me deeply were those of mothers like Aline Murara Tuyisenge. In her home in Kicukiro, Kigali, she shared tender moments with her daughter Sarah Magese, celebrating her 5th birthday and welcoming her unborn child. For Aline, motherhood is more than responsibility—it is love, mercy, happiness, and patience.

Ishimwe Devota, known as Devo Queen, balances motherhood with her career as a music artist and the management of her own bar in Kanombe, Kigali. Supported by her high school classmate in caring for her daughter Bina, Devo Queen demonstrates the resilience of mothers navigating personal ambition and economic challenges while nurturing their children.

Jeanne Uwizeye’s story highlights perseverance. A single mother who became pregnant after high school, she relocated from northern Rwanda to Kigali, navigating societal pressures after losing her parents. Today, she raises her son and her brother’s children while working in her brother’s restaurant, reflecting, “Being a mother is giving life to a child, even when others cannot.”

Melanie Nyiraninda’s story illustrates how motherhood embodies love, devotion, and social recognition. Sharing quiet moments with her daughters Sandrine and Francaise, she expresses the pride and respect motherhood brings, symbolized by gestures like adorning her daughter with a necklace.

These stories reveal the profound complexity of motherhood in Rwanda. Beyond daily care and nurturing, mothers navigate societal expectations, economic realities, and personal challenges. Yet, they demonstrate unwavering love, creativity, and resilience.

The Motherhood Project celebrates these women, sharing their stories to inspire understanding and reflection. Each narrative is unique, but collectively they reveal a universal truth: motherhood is defined by care, sacrifice, strength, and the enduring bonds between mother and child.