A young Rwandan doctor has just started a year's post graduate study at the University of Dundee after arriving in Europe for the first time.
Dr Anita Asiimwe is one of seven female students studying at a Scottish University this year as the first cohort of women on the Rwanda University Scholarship Scheme.
Anita will be studying in the department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Dundee's medical school where she plans to learn about public health strategies and how these could be applied in Rwanda to tackle the country's HIV and AIDS epidemic.
Anita explained: "In our tradition girls are not really educated. It is unusual for a girl in Rwanda to receive an education. This scholarship is very valuable as it gives Rwandan women the opportunity to further their educationin Scotland."
Anita studied medicine at the National University of Rwanda in Butare. She trained for 6 years, graduated in 2001 and then was called in by the government to take part in a management programme fighting HIV and AIDS. Anita will be leading her country's fight against the disease when she returns to Rwanda.
She said: "While I'm here I want to find out about AIDS in Scotland and the public educatio nprogrammes that you use to tackle the virus. There is a great need for a public education programme in Rwanda. There is however a stark difference in the life expectancy of people who contract HIV in the UK and people who get the virus in Rwanda. The health service in the UK provides therapy but because of extreme poverty in Rwanda, HIV is much more likely to develop into AIDS.
I am delighted to be in Dundee at the University's Medical School. Everyone has been very friendly. I had an idea that Europe would be so busy that no one would have time to stop and help you but it is in fact opposite. People here are so welcoming and keep looking after me when I get lost.
I thought Europe would be a sea of office blocks but when we were travelling up to Dundee from Glasgow airport I found that the landscape reminded me of home. Rwanda is called the land of 1,000 hills."
Dr Asiimwe will be taking full time classes at the University of Dundee over the next year and is planning to join the University's aerobic class.
When she returns home Anita plans to promote educational opportunities for girls.
Organiser of the scholarship programme Gerda Siann Professor Emeritus at the University of Dundee said: "The scholarship originated in a request from the former ambassador of Rwanda Dr Nsanga who attended a meeting of the African students in Dundee and spoke about the need for education of women in Rwanda following the genocide. The initiative has been given a great deal of help by present ambassador Mrs Rosemary Museminali and the honorary Rwandan consul in Scotland. The universities are delighted to welcome the seven women involved and I am very grateful to the five universities for their help in settling the students.
The other six students are studying at the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian, Stirling and St Andrews.
Glasgow Caledonian is hosting Consolee Mbarishimana who is studying for her MSc in Advanced Computer Networking Master of Public Health, Ashura Mukakimenyi and Rosemary Mbabazi who are both studying for Masters of Business Administration.
Stirling University is hosting Sylvie Karasira who is studying for MSc in Aquaculture.
Solange Mukamurenzi is studying for MSc in Information Technology at St Andrews University.
Winnie Muhumuza is studying for a Master of Education at Edinburgh University.
The Rwandan government has agreed to meet the subsistence costs of the six women and the Association of University Teachers made a significant contribution to the cost of airfares from Rwanda to Scotland. In addition, the University of Dundee has given some money for hosting meetings in Dundee for the students during their year of study so they can keep in touch with each other.
Contact Gerda Siann 0131 554 4919
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk