Solange Tuyishime
AGE: 26 | HEIGHT: 5'8" | HOMETOWN: ORLEANS, ON
Solange is from Fredericton, New Brunswick, and was raised in Rwanda until she escaped from war and genocide. She is fluent in French, English, Kinyarwanda and Swahili and holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in of Journalism and a Masters of Public Administration. She currently resides and works in Ottawa in Executive Leadership Development.
At age 11, along with millions of other people, Solange and her family became refugees due to the civil war and genocide in Rwanda. Living in tents and surviving with the minimum, Solange had to mature fast, and as the eldest child, she had the responsibility of taking care of her siblings. Her experience of being a refugee, dealing with the effects of war and poverty, has allowed her to appreciate every opportunity and be even more proud to be Canadian.
Solange has been nominated UNICEF’s 2010 Official Spokes Person for Walk for Water. In hope to become Miss Universe Canada, Solange would like to continue sharing her life experience with the objective to encourage fundraising efforts, to educate and engage Canadians in missions seeking to give every child change and opportunity in life to survive and thrive. In the future Solange hopes to be UN’s Goodwill Ambassador for children’s wellbeing and education.
In hope to represent Canada at the Miss Universe Pageant, Solange brings modeling and pageant experience into this competition. She was chosen to represent Canada at the Miss International pageant in the US, she won the title of Miss Canada International 2006, and she was the LUSH Model winner during the 2009 UJENA JAM swimwear competition in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Solange enjoys music, playing soccer, cooking and modeling. Her philosophy in life is to never be afraid of dreaming, even when it feels and appears impossible.
Questionnaire
Are you currently employed?
If yes, what is your occupation?
I work as public servant for the Federal Government of Canada as an Executive Programs Advisor in Human Resources at Industry Canada.
Have you completed secondary school?
If yes, where?
I completed secondary school at École Sainte-Anne in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Have you completed university/college?
If yes, where?
I obtained a Masters of Public Administration in 2008. I also hold a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism with Honours in French and a Minor in Sociology.
Languages spoken fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
I currently speak four languages fluently:
Kinyarwanda (Native Language)
French
English
Swahili
I am currently learning Spanish and Bambara (West African dialect).
List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
I have taken singing lessons and participated in singing competitions for two years.
I was part of a professional traditional dancing group for four years.
I was an actress in my high school drama club for three years.
In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
I began playing soccer at the age of fourteen and for the past seven years, I have played competitively at the city, provincial and university level.
I played volleyball for 3 years
In high school I played basketball for one season
Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
2001-2005: I attended St. Thomas University where I obtained Bachelor of Journalism and Honours in French.
2006-2008: Graduated from l’Université de Moncton with a Masters of Public Administration.
What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
I am currently one of UNICEF Canada’s Ambassadors. In 2010, I am proud to have been nominated as UNICEF’s 2010 Official Spokes Person for Walk for Water, which helps to raise awareness and funds for children and their families to have access to clean water and sanitation practices.
Since 2008, I have been supporting charities helping children who face poverty, living in places with political instability, internal conflicts and regions affected by natural disasters.
What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job would be to work as a UN’s Goodwill Ambassador.
Furthermore, I would like to obtain the opportunity to host a television show and produce a magazine which celebrates multiculturalism and international unity through sharing cultural practices, music, fashion, food and festivities from around the world.
Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
The individual who had the most influence on my life is my grandfather, who past away during the war. He believed that it is important for individuals to use common sense when making decisions, and that everyone should engage in charitable efforts to help those in need. In addition, he was a strong believer in promoting human rights, and that people should not focus on the skin color, ethnicity, sexuality and cultural practices. We are all equal and should treat each other with love and respect.
What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)?
My proudest personal accomplishment is that I have been able to be a strong and supportive role model to my siblings and cousins in Canada, Europe and Africa. Growing up as refugee has thought me the true meaning of loss and sacrifice. My parents worked extraordinarily hard to overcome adversity and hardship, and to provide the best possible opportunities for my siblings and me. Witnessing such selfless love has allowed me to gain a greater appreciation of life. I am incredibly grateful to have been able to demonstrate that even bearing the effects of post war trauma, poverty, loss of family members, culture shock and adaptation, optimism and perseverance is the key to success.
What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I have three primary career ambitions:
My first career ambition was to work in the federal government in Strategic Human Resources. To accomplish this, I completed my Masters of Public Administration.
Secondly, I would like to be a UN’s Goodwill Ambassador. To reach this goal, I volunteer in my community, and I recently taken on the role of a UNICEF ambassador.
Lastly, I aspire to be a founder of a television show and magazine that celebrates multiculturalism and promotes international unity. To accomplish this goal, I have created a blog called Axïom as a pilot project in reaching out to my targeted, International audience.
Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I spent my early childhood in Rwanda, enjoying the same activities most kids do - playing with friends, attending school, and spending time with family. In 1994, at age 11, along with millions of other people, my family became refugees due to the civil war and genocide in Rwanda. Along with thousands of other families, we travelled for days seeking refuge.
We eventually settled in a cluster of tents. As a result, I found myself maturing faster, and as the eldest child, I had the responsibility of taking care of my siblings while my parents were out looking for food and work. To ensure the family had enough clean water, every two days, along with other children, I would travel between four to five hours in search of the water needed for drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing. During this time, I missed out on an important period of my educational development.
Before arriving to Canada, I lived throughout various countries. The constant change in environment challenged me to learn new languages and adapt to new cultures.
List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
When I was fifteen I obtained my first job at McDonalds. Due to the difficulty I had expressing myself in English, my manager would ask me to remove snow on the roof of the restaurant for hours, among other tasks. I found it an unusual task because my small frame, light weight was not conducive to such heavy lifting. Being relatively new to Canada at the time, engaging in outdoor physical labour was still unfamiliar and a bit strange.
List any volunteering you have done.
For many years I volunteered with the Multicultural Association of Fredericton. During the summer I volunteered in a camp which held orientation activities for youth, in order to familiarize them in their new environment. During my time as a volunteer, I performed in cultural events organised by the association.
For three consecutive years, I volunteered at the YMCA as a soccer coach for grade 5 and 6 children.
As vice-president of the African Student Union in New Brunswick, I helped organise cultural events, and I performed for many years during the annual African Night.
I have also dedicated my time to many other causes and events, such as, Run for the Cure, Community Development, The Salvation Army and the Food Bank.
Where is the most interesting place you have been?
My life circumstances have not allowed me to travel for leisure to very many places around the world.
To date the most interesting place I have been is my current home county. Canada and its citizens amaze and inspire me on many levels. It is Canada’s sense of unity, multiculturalism, democratic values and endless opportunities and that I most cherish.
What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
Having been raised on the Atlantic Coast, and having the opportunity to reside and work in the nation’s capital and Québec, I was exposed to such diversity which has allowed me to fully appreciate our country and relate to many Canadians from coast to coast.
I am unique because many parents (Canadian immigrants) can relate to my childhood journey when reflecting on their own children’s experiences. I have been a crucial support system for parents helping their children overcome identity challenges and cultural shock.
I believe I am an example that with hard work and determination, the sky is the limit. I was unable to speak English or French when I arrived in Canada. Today, in addition to two other African languages, I am fluent in both Canadian official languages and I hold a Master’s degree.
The combination of my life experiences has fully prepared me to honourably take on the role of Miss Universe Canada.
What is your philosophy of/in life?
My philosophy in life is to never be afraid of dreaming, even when it feels and appears impossible. Always work hard towards your objective, and believe in yourself. Always remember to be fair and honest throughout the journey. When one door closes, heal the wound because a greater door will be opened ahead. Be grateful, never take anything for granted, and surround yourself with a strong support system.
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
Ten years from now I hope that I will be a UN’s Goodwill Ambassador for children’s well being and education, more specifically promoting girls’ education.
It is also my hope to have written two books, and that I will be an even greater role model to many Canadians, and people around the world through my broadcasting and writing.
In ten years, I hope to have a happy, healthy, and loving family.
Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
Soccer is my pastime and music is my passion. I have a great sense of humour and I love the spirit of multicultural events and international competitions, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, because they celebrate unity among nations, and the pride of patriotism.
I dedicate this journey to all children dealing with the effects of war and poverty.
“Dream and do not underestimate yourselves; you have more strength than you believe”
I am grateful to have obtained this opportunity; no matter what the outcome will be I am very proud to have shared my experiences and philosophy.
source: (Thank you and credits to
http://www.beautiesofcanada.com/
and all sources for the information and pictures)
