Nsabimana Boniface

Nsabimana Boniface is a Uganda man, mostly a farmer or peasant, from Kibaya Village of Maziba Ward, Bunagana Town Council, Bufumbira South, Kisoro.

Early life and marriage:

Born in 1944 in Kanyampiriko Village, Bunagana Town Council, Bufumbira South, Kisoro District, Nsabimana married his wife, Nyirakubanza Josephine in 1966 and they together gave birth to about 10 children. Currently, 8 (5 boys, 3 girls) children are alive. They all have had their own children and families too.

Nsabimana is generally a farmer or peasant. As of today, he is 82 years old, and currently among those that receive ‘old-age salary’ in Uganda, which is rougly 30,000 Uganda shillings per month! 

Life struggles and raising family:

Nsabimana Boniface has had a share of life. His first struggles together with his young family saw him move to DR Congo for livelihood, returned back to his ancestral home Uganda around 1980s, then later moved to Kiboga, Mubenda in search of employment. He returned back home in the 1990s and settled. He and his wife and some of his children and grandchildren live in Kibaya Village.

His children include Emmanuel (DIED). He is a father of Zawadi, a living daughter who currently has children of her own, Julius Ndabahweje (with about five children of his own), Thomas Simeo (DIED). He is a father of about five other children, Ntacombonye Yohana or John (with five children too), Semanza John (with five children too), Nyiramugisha Sharon (with two children – the third one died), Vasitina Mujawimana (with 3 children), Nzanywayimana Geofrey (with five children), Nemeyimana Vicent (with 3 children), Sitera Nyirabikari (with 2 children). Some of these grandchildren have given birth to other children, giving great grandchildren to Nsabimana and his wife Nyirakubanza.

One of the children, Nemeyimana Vicent, is the founder and CEO of MIKLAH Life, a pro-sustainability tech-enabled startup that applies innovative entrepreneurship to health, education, climate change, and leadership.

Achievements, Failures, & Lessons:

In his writings about his father, Nemeyimana Vicent, said that the major achievements of Nsabimana Boniface are enshrined in his overall resilience. Given a difficult family background, Nsabimana went through it all, making high-stake decisions, all for his survival and preservation of his family. In his own words, Vicent writes:

‘In the world’s definition of success, dad has never succeeded and doesn’t deserve to be celebrated. But in my own definition of success, dad is the only hero I ever wanna emulate. He has lived a hard life and yet never gave up on it; he always had things to do, deals to cut, hoping to make it any better. It does not matter how many times he fell, he always stood up; still falling and standing up.’

Concerning his failures or weaknesses, Vicent acknowledges that his dad was and is still alcoholic. As such (due to alcohol and drunkenness), his life plans always had challenges and his relationships, especially with neighbors and others suffered. However, on the core (when not under the influence), he is a good man. Additionally, his generous, hardworking, and wise wife, Nyirakubanza Josephine, always works behind the scenes, clearing out the weaknesses left out by her husband and his drink!

Vicent says Nsabimana Boniface is a lesson on resilience. He never quits. In his own ways, he loves and cares. And fights. 

Summary on Nsabimana Boniface:

Nsabimana Boniface is a Ugandan old man, mostly a farmer or peasant from the village of Kibaya, Bunagana Town Council, Bufumbira South, Kisoro. He is married to Nyirakubanza Josephine, and together have or had 10 children, with 8 of them still alive and also with several other children and grandchildren.