From Selling Avocados to Minister: The Life of Sebahizi Prudence

Early ambition and childhood hustle

Trade and Industry Minister Sebahizi Prudence says he grew up with a strong desire to work hard and rely on himself. As a young boy, he sold avocados, bananas and other products to earn money.
He shared his story on The Password, a Rwanda Television programme that guides young people in career planning.

Sebahizi was born on 1 March 1978 in Gicumbi District. He studied in the same area for his primary school. He completed secondary school at Groupe Scolaire de Nyabikenke, now located in Muhanga District, where he took economics. He then pursued the same field at the University of Rwanda.

Dreams of leadership

He said he grew up dreaming of becoming a leader, a teacher or even a journalist. These ambitions pushed him to value education and to work hard so that he could achieve them.

Entrepreneurial spirit from an early age

Sebahizi told the youth that entrepreneurship starts early.
“When you become an entrepreneur, it does not start from nowhere,” he said. “You begin when you are still a child.”

He said that during primary and secondary school, he used to grow vegetables such as tomatoes and cabbages. He admired students in boarding schools who owned large gardens and hoped to be like them. Although he farmed a small piece of land, he considered it his business.

His family had avocado trees at home. During holidays, he harvested the fruits and sold them at the market or to people who came to buy from the house. He also sold bananas. When necessary, he bought a whole banana bunch, ripened it and sold it for profit.

By the time he joined secondary school, he was already thinking about how to solve simple financial needs on his own.

Becoming a photographer in university

Sebahizi continued working in various small businesses as he grew. When he joined university, he bought a camera for about 25,000 francs. This marked a turning point in his life.

He said photography gave him a strong source of income because only two students had cameras at the time.
“One of the biggest jobs I got was during a military training camp,” he said. “When I returned, I used the money to build my own house while I was still a student.”

Lessons for today’s youth

He believes young people should invest their time wisely.
“The first lesson is to know why you are alive,” he said. “You must understand what you are doing now and why it matters.”

He added that time and personal effort are the main capital young people have. He encouraged them not to give up because not every attempt succeeds. Some ideas end, and new ones begin.

Living with purpose, he said, helps young people move forward with a clear vision of what they want to achieve.