How four simple words gave me strength

This is Amina’s story, as prepared by Doreen Umutesi, Compassion Rwanda Photojournalist.

A childhood shaped by illness and shame

I was sick for much of my childhood. We were living in poverty in a community in Rwanda. I was very small, and other children would bully me.

At social gatherings, people would criticise my mother, telling her she wasn’t feeding me properly. Once, she told me I embarrassed her.