Would genetics research be a priority for Rwanda while the country was rebuilding just after the 1994 genocide against Tutsi? This was a question that I needed to consider. Sometimes, it is very hard to make the best choice for your career in a new scientific discipline when you have no role models and the only way forward is to start from scratch. Later, however, you can look back on what you have accomplished with surprise, and pride, when you see all your efforts paying off. Here I tell the story of my journey in genetics research, from rebuilding a country after trauma to facing our current COVID-19 pandemic challenges.
