My dream is to be one of the best female camera operators

In high school, Abiwe Kayonga Beltine pursued sciences focusing on physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. When she graduated, she attended a 6-month short course in photography, following advice from her father who was also passionate about photography. At the end of the short course, Beltine decided to attend The East African University to pursue studies in Filmmaking and Film production. “I liked it, and I had confidence that I would be able to do it well,” said Beltine.

One of the reasons Beltine wanted to pursue this career is that in today’s world people are encouraged to be self-employed rather than waiting to be hired by someone else and that field promotes self-employment.

One of the challenges faced so far is accessing information. “The Rwandan public is reluctant to provide information to journalists, especially in remote areas. That makes it difficult for journalists to get information because people are reluctant to share information,” she says

Another challenge is that girls are sometimes underestimated in the profession, especially when it comes to complex and heavy equipment, which is why people prefer to hire boys because they believe they are better suited for the job.

She conveyed the message she has for girls to do what they love and to take their careers seriously. “Once people see that you are serious about what you do, they will believe in you and either help you or hire you,” she added