In 2022, Bella Muramira attended WAKE’s Tech2Empower Day for Girls in Kigali. Just 12 years old and in her first year of high school, Bella was one of the youngest participants in the cohort, curious, confident, and eager for what the day would bring. Though the program lasted only one day, its impact would shape Bella’s path in profound and lasting ways.
Bella’s love for self learning was exemplified in the level of knowledge she carried with her into that day. Already interested in computer science, she came in with HTML skills before even stepping into the coding and programming workshop. Inspired by the ambition of the older girls she met during the day, she applied to the highly competitive Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology in southern Rwanda. She is now a student at the school, which accepts only 90 girls and prepares them for futures in STEM.
On Day for Girls Bella self-selected workshops, first attending a productivity and goal planning workshop taught by Yesenia Bello, currently a Founder and storyteller, and at the time, a Tech2Empower Advisor who worked at Google. Throughout the day, Yesenia and Bella were in three of the same workshops, naturally finding a way back to each other. The initial connection coming from Yesenia’s last name Bello sounding similar to Bella’s name, something so small and trivial being the spark for the years-long mentorship between the two friends.
Today, Bella attends boarding school and has no access to a phone during the academic year. Still, that has not stopped the two from staying connected. School breaks and holidays have become meaningful moments to reconnect, reflect, and check in. When their relationship began, Bella was fascinated by the fact that Yesenia worked at Google and imagined one day following a similar path. She expected the relationship to influence her future career, but she never anticipated the depth of care, encouragement, and mutual connection it would grow into.
Bella often reflects on how Yesenia consistently shows up with encouragement while also taking a genuine interest in who Bella is as a person. Over the years, the two have shared countless conversations surrounding their fondest memories, personal interests, and family lives. The relationship of a mentor and mentee is beautiful as it’s almost a reflective process, guiding a younger version of yourself. Yesenia reflected on how she sees Bella embody the values that are meaningful to her own life. The two both carry the same sense of responsibility, optimism, faith, and desire to lead with kindness while supporting and serving others.
"She is more than a mentor, she is a great friend, she is family for sure” -Bella Muramira
Fast forward to the summer of 2025. Now 16 years old, Bella sits side by side with Yesenia in the United States during Bella’s first trip outside Rwanda. She had been accepted into a summer computer science program at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. Describing the experience, Bella could only say “pinch me,” still struggling to believe it was real. Prior to her acceptance she had not even told her family she applied, convinced she would not be accepted.
At Wentworth, Bella was the only girl and the only girl of color in her computer science classroom. She spoke openly about the challenges of navigating a space where girls often question whether they belong, overthinking their intelligence, appearance, or right to take up space. In those moments, Yesenia was there as Bella’s loudest cheerleader, reminding her of her abilities and grounding her in confidence. During her summer program Bella stood out so clearly that the dean pulled her aside to learn more about the incredible person Bella is.
Later, reflecting on their relationship, Yesenia shared how meaningful it has been to witness Bella’s growth over the years. She has watched her grow from a 12-year-old girl into a confident, curious teenager who is bold in her thinking and deeply committed to her education. Yesenia also reflected on her own experience immigrating from the Dominican Republic, learning English, and becoming a first-generation college student. Remembering her younger self allows her to support Bella with empathy and intention, making encouragement not only a responsibility but a deep passion.
As their relationship evolved over the years, being uplifted through exams and struggles has turned into visionary future building and strengthening Bella’s capacity to trust herself while pursuing her goals and aspirations. Reflecting on their relationship, Yesenia emphasizes how we all have potential, but it needs to be nurtured to know it exists inside of ourselves. Being able to witness Bella’s journey, she expresses her pride in knowing her dreams have become her present, and her program in Boston is just one of the many milestones ahead. Her final reflection is a call to action. Mentorship, even for a short time, can be transformative. Offering encouragement, sharing resources, and truly seeing someone can change the trajectory of a life, and Yesenia is deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to help nurture the potential she sees so clearly in Bella.
