Challenges should never define you; they should refine you.
It came from a childhood in a house of six sisters, where you learned early that life worked best when everyone played their part and looked out for one another.That house was probably my earliest introduction to what I would later come to recognise as governance.
With six of us, nothing worked if roles and responsibilities were left unclear.
Expectations had to be spoken. Responsibility had to be shared. Everyone needed to understand what was expected of them.
Looking back, those lessons stayed with me far longer than I realised.
I carried them from the Democratic Republic of Congo, through fourteen years in France, and eventually back to Rwanda in 2005.
Over time, I realised that they also shaped the way I approach my work today.
I help families and institutions have conversations that are often postponed for too long and put clear structures around decisions that matter. Not because structure is an end in itself, but because clarity reduces uncertainty and helps preserve relationships.
To me, governance has never been about creating more rules. At its best, it creates understanding, shared responsibility and trust.
Looking back, I realise that many of those lessons began much earlier than my career.
They began at home.