Consolee Amina: Rising Above Challenges to Empower Others
A Childhood Shaped by Resilience
Meet Consolee Amina. Consolee grew up in Nord, Rwanda, a small village surrounded by mountains and hills. As the youngest in her family, she was always curious and eager to learn. She began school early, eager to follow her siblings, and would often borrow their books just to pore over the pictures and stories.
From an early age, she also displayed a deep sense of compassion. When an elderly woman in her village lacked firewood, Consolee rallied other children to help collect it for an entire year. The smile on the woman’s face left a lasting mark on her, showing Consolee how small acts of kindness can transform lives.
But education was not easy, especially for girls. In 1997, with conflict still affecting her region, her school closed. To take the national exam for secondary school, she had to walk two hours each way to another village. Despite the mud, injuries, and voices telling her to give up, she persevered—often leaving home at 5 a.m. By the end, she was the only girl in her class to write the exam, and she passed, earning a scholarship to boarding school.
That determination never left her. She carried the weight of all the girls she knew who never got the same chance—not because they weren’t capable, but because society told them their place was at home. Consolee promised herself that her success would also become a platform for others.
Inspired By a Strong Role Model
Her late mother, a primary school teacher, was her greatest role model. Despite cultural restrictions, her mother bravely sought work to support her family and encouraged Consolee to never give up. This instilled in her a deep determination to fight against gender-based limitations and uplift others through education.
Reinventing Herself in a New Country
Consolee’s journey took another courageous turn when she relocated to South Africa about 12 years ago. Arriving without an understanding of the English Language, she started from Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town’s beginner English classes, later joining its Uplearn Project—a competency-based online program in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. She completed her Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management in 2020 and proudly earned her MBA in 2024.
A Phenomenal Educator and Advocate
Today, Consolee serves as an Academic Trainer and Advisor for Scalabrini’s Uplearn project. Having once been a student herself, she now mentors and supports others in their own academic journeys. She uses her personal story to inspire perseverance, while equipping students with both professional and soft skills to succeed in their studies and careers.
Her dedication extends beyond the classroom. Consolee volunteers at Lawrence House, a home for unaccompanied migrant and refugee children. Through hiking and nature activities, she helps children heal and rebuild confidence.
Living Her Life Motto
Guided by the motto “It’s not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up,” Consolee embodies resilience. Her story is not only about overcoming hardship but about lifting others along the way—students, children, and especially young women who dream of education.
Why Consolee is a Phenomenal Woman
Consolee is phenomenal because she turned adversity into opportunity, loss into leadership, and challenges into platforms of empowerment. She is proof that with courage, persistence, and compassion, one woman can change many lives.
