Dativah Bideri Mukamusonera: Komera’s New Passionate, Visionary Leader!

Published by Komera. Written by Robbi Hartt, Former Director of the Writing Center at Greens Farms Academy, CT.

“I am often asked if I’m a feminist because people see my passion around women and girls. I answer, ‘YES! I have a heart for this cause.’”

This is how Dativah explains her life’s work. All who have the opportunity to work with her recognize this quality in her. As Lauren Mason, Komera Managing Director, describes,

“Dativah is a force. If you are lucky enough to be in her presence when she is addressing a crowd about women’s rights or speaking with a girl one-on-one, you will feel her genuine passion and become energized with her enthusiasm. She is a fearless advocate who works tirelessly to advance opportunities for women and girls.”

Supporters of Komera have witnessed this passion in Margaret Butler, Komera founder and former Executive Director, for years. In August 2020, Dativah officially took over the role of Executive Director. Now, as she notes, “Since I am being given this new role, it’s time for me to build relationships with our supporters.”

Dativah is uniquely qualified to serve in this role not only because this is her life’s passion but also because this is her country and her life story. As a young girl raised in Rwanda, she grew up in a family and culture that did not give full or equal opportunities to girls. Boys were valued, and girls-even studious ones like she was-were simply not. “I dropped out of school after senior 2 because I was a girl; my parents thought paying for my school fees was ‘wasting resources.’” Tutors were available for boys, but girls were expected to stay home to do the chores even before they completed primary school.

Fortunately, Dativah had a strong advocate in her mother, who was always supportive, even though she herself did not finish school. “Every time my dad pushed me away, I could have a conversation with my mom,” she notes. “When I was forced to leave school, my mom took me to the local authorities to ask them to allow me to continue my education.” The officials ignored them for six hours, at which point her mother needed to return home. Dativah, however, refused to leave. “I just want to go to school,” she pleaded. “I won’t leave here if you don’t give me this opportunity.” At the end of his workday, the school official reluctantly gave her the paper and she ran home with it. “That’s when I started my life,” she states. “Everything changed from that point. I felt that I had to commit to doing something that would communicate my belief that we needed to stand up and shout for the girls that were still going.”

After completing secondary school and earning both a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Rwanda, Dativah acquired a job as a finance management administrator with the university-a position she found challenging but unfulfilling. “I didn’t have time to be with the community,” she reflects, “and I asked myself, ‘How can I advocate for these other girls who are like I was?’” She found the answer by organizing and meeting regularly with a group of girls after work, inspiring them with encouraging words like “You can make it. Stay up and study like the boys.” The girls in turn shared their stories with Dativah and discussed the important things going on in their lives.

Historically in Rwanda, boys and men were expected to have discussions, but girls and women were not allowed to join in. When Dativah saw girls standing alone, lacking confidence, she prodded them to share their opinions. “If you come from a vulnerable family, people will laugh at you,” she was told. This fear of humiliation keeps girls from speaking up, and Dativah knows this fear all too well. “Growing up,” she relays, “my dad would immediately shut me down when I tried to express myself. ‘No need listening to you,’ he would say.”

Dativah observed a similar pattern in the community meetings she attended-women were absent, or arrived late due to responsibilities at home, or remained silent because they did not have money to contribute like the men did. Dativah urged these women to find a way to come early, to look organized and plan something to say, to bring a little money to contribute. These small encouragements led to important changes in the community. “Then I did the same with the women in the village,” Dativah explains, telling them, “Don’t just allow yourselves to be fed like a child; find some fruit or something to sell once a week so you have a little money at the end of the month.”

At that point, the inner voice telling her that she might be in the wrong position grew louder, and she began wondering how she could reach a broader community. She decided to apply for a position as a parliamentarian. “Are you mad?” her husband asked, but she insisted, “Let me try.” Although she did not become a parliamentarian, she later ran for district councilor and was appointed Minister of Gender and Family Promotion for Kayonza district, a representative position much better aligned with her passion. It is through this position that she began her work with Komera in 2014.

Dativah was known in the community as someone who was very active in local government. Margaret Butler recalls a Rwandan friend telling her, “There’s this lady who always speaks up at meetings…” Margaret had a conversation with Dativah and hired her shortly after to be the in-country director for Komera. Six years later, Dativah continues to serve on the district council.

Dativah relates to the girls in Komera who are vulnerable like she was and have parents like hers and feels grateful to be able to contribute to changing their lives. When she first started working with Komera, Dativah recalls, there was no office, no chair-just the use of a meeting space at Partners in Health and a group of girls in need of support. Looking back over all of the growth and success the organization has had since it was legally established as a local non-governmental organization (NGO) in Rwanda, she is pleased with the impact Komera has had on the girls’ lives by engaging them in education, community engagement, health, and sports.

Little by little the Komera programs, staff, and number of scholars grew, with greater input and leadership needed from local leaders. The transition from country director to executive director happened both organically and intentionally. “Dativah and I had been talking for a long time about transitioning to full local leadership, as the intention of Komera was always to have Rwandans leading,” Margaret explains. “One of the big pushes for making the change now,” she notes, “was the realization that there was never going to be the perfect time to transition and that it was time. So much of the money and power traditionally goes to white-led organizations. It is imperative to move aside and make room for black leaders. I have always understood the responsibility I have to step into this change.” The call for racial justice in terms of leadership opportunities and actionable items, according to Butler, was a powerful reminder that the time is now.

Margaret is currently expanding her advocacy work for young women through AMPLIFY — a collaborative of community driven organizations that amplifies the voices, work, and impact of local community organizations delivering for adolescent girls, such as Komera. AMPLIFY is currently using its global platform to study the impact on girls of returning to school after COVID-19 in order to identify barriers and best practices to help them return. “AMPLIFY works in the ecosystem where Komera exists,” Margaret clarifies. “It evolved through the recognition that many organizations don’t get access to platforms simply because they are seen as too small, yet they are the ones on the frontlines delivering for girls. We are addressing the issue of how we can create scale through collaboration and centering communities.”

When Komera began working with local authorities to get started, the first step was requesting to meet with the schools to identify the most vulnerable girls, followed by home visits to get a true picture of the family life there. Once the girls were chosen, giving them room to share their stories was critical. “We also shared ours,” Dativah notes, “to help the girls realize we were also where you are. Their responses were nearly always, ‘You mean we can also make it?’”

Scovia, a current Komera scholar from Rwinkwavu, is one example of the impact a leader like Dativah and a program like Komera can have. Home since the COVID-19 outbreak closed FAWE Girls School and all of the other boarding schools, she has demonstrated all of the skills the program has worked to cultivate in her-gathering a group of local girls, setting goals and offering support, raising money, and even creating a video.

“Dativah loves girls and women and has taught me that nothing is impossible if you work hard,” Scovia beams. “Komera is a large family that inspires and supports us… My hope for Komera in the future is that all of the girls it reaches will return to their home communities and become social change agents.”

In addition to many other noteworthy transformations, one immediate change Komera inspires is getting out of the “can’t” mindset. “When asked what they want to be after school,” Dativah observes, “most girls respond ‘primary teacher or village leader.’ Those are their highest aspirations. After becoming Komera scholars, hearing speakers, meeting graduates, attending self-confidence training and leadership camps, however, the same girls have the skills, courage, and self-assurance to reach much higher.” Solange, a Komera scholar currently attending University of Rwanda in Kigali, is pursuing engineering and hopes to be a pilot one day.

Today Komera has a great deal to celebrate, with 8 fully established programs, 15 staff members, and 154 scholars in secondary school and university! Of the many Komera initiatives to celebrate, one that brings Dativah particular joy is the teen mothers program, which partners with girls who get pregnant and drop out of school. By offering HIV testing and family planning, teaching parenting skills, and building leadership skills and confidence, the program teaches girls that self-reliance brings power and that acceptance can replace stigma in their families and community. Of the 270 girls engaged in the program, not one has gotten pregnant again, 93% are on family planning, and all are supporting their children and moving forward with their lives. “For me, I believe that all is possible,” Dativah beams.

The post-secondary program offers an equally important intervention for the 25–30 scholars who graduate each year when they return to their families for the nine months following graduation. All receive computer, English, and entrepreneurship training, as well as help with applying to university. The results are remarkable!

Dativah’s eyes brighten as she highlights the opportunities the new Komera Girls Leadership Center will bring. “What would happen if we could change the broader community through exposure to our ideology? she asks. What if we could create a safe space where girls who can’t be Komera scholars can come for sports/recreation, counseling, and vocational training?” Her hope for the next 1–5 years is that they can build a center where Komera has a home that welcomes everyone in the community. The anticipated time frame for opening the center is the end of next year. Although fundraising has been tough, they already have phone service, water, and electricity. “We hope to create a model in Rwinkwavu that can be used as a platform for the entire Kayonza District.” Knowing Dativah’s strong belief that anything is possible, there is no doubt Komera’s future is bright!

To learn more about Komera, visit the organization’s website at www.komera.org.

Originally published at https://komera.org on February 4, 2021.