Across northwestern and western Rwanda, aging is defined not by retirement, but by steady physical movement, whole foods grown directly in volcanic soil, and deep community solidarity. This story follows four elders navigating later life with self-reliance, labor, and clarity.
In Karambi village, Musanze district, Thomas Sebahinzi, 74, maintains his physical mobility through daily smallholder farming, tending crops and goats row by row. In the same village, Leonidas Nsengiyumva, 67, balances field cultivation with running a small trading post selling drinks and household goods, carefully pacing his efforts to preserve his stamina.
In the high hills of Nyabihu district, Rachel Nyiramangane, 84, who spent her youth walking 15 to 20 miles across steep mountain passes each week, sustains her health through unrefined highland staples and a strict moral code—kwirinda umugayo (living blamelessly without reproach).
In Karongi district, Nyirakarehe Phoebe, 79, whose early life spanned cross-border journeys between eastern DR Congo and Rwanda, now resides with her daughter’s family. Having strictly avoided commercial cooking fats and refined sugars throughout her life, she keeps her mind agile through daily reading, radio news broadcasts, and shared meals with village peers.
Together, their routines embody a shared philosophy: vitality in older age is sustained by working the land, eating directly from the soil, and remaining an active, conscious presence within the community.
How old are you and how old do you feel?
Age is written in our identity cards and etched into our skin, but the strength inside depends entirely on how you carry yourself every morning. Thomas Sebahinzi, 74, notes that as long as his legs can walk into the morning sun and his hands can work volcanic soil, he feels fully alive. Leonidas Nsengiyumva, 67, acknowledges that while the brute power of youth fades, wisdom teaches you to pace your labor to match your years. Rachel Nyiramangane, 84, still views herself through the endurance of her youth when mountain paths were second nature, and believes that strength comes from an honest spirit free of bitterness. Nyirakarehe Phoebe, 79, explains that while her physical stamina has softened, her mind has never grown old. When you reach your late seventies without chronic sickness, people wonder how you arrived there. True old age does not begin when the years add up; it begins the day you stop using your brain and surrender your daily mobility.
What helps you maintain your physical, mental, and social well-being?
What keeps us vital in the rural hills is simple: daily movement, clean food straight from the dirt, and the avoidance of isolation. Thomas and Leonidas keep their joints agile through the daily rhythms of farming, caring for livestock, and neighborly banter across the shop counter or over traditional brew. In Murambi, Rachel stays energized by rising early to sweep the yard, cook over the hearth, and cultivate maize and beans without commercial chemicals. In Karongi, Phoebe insists that when a body sits idle, it stiffens and blood stops circulating. She rejects modern cooking fats and refined sugars, eating only boiled sweet potatoes, whole grains, and fresh milk. She reads every day, listens closely to radio broadcasts to know what is happening in the world, and gathers older women to share meals. You cannot feel old or heavy when your hands are working, your mind is alert with news, and your compound is filled with conversation.
What advice do you have for aging well?
Do not let modern comfort make you lazy. You must protect your legs by walking on your own two feet every single day, and be disciplined about what you eat. Today, younger generations rely on motorbikes for the shortest journeys and cook everything with heavy industrial oils and sugar, then wonder why their bodies fail them prematurely. Eat what comes straight from the soil, drink clean water and fresh milk, and pace your physical efforts so you preserve your joints. Work according to your age rather than overexerting yourself. Most importantly, keep your mind clear of bitterness. Feed your brain by reading and staying informed about the world, live an honorable life in which you harm no one, and treat your neighbors with warmth and respect. A clean conscience, good friends, and daily motion are the medicine that protects your health into older age.
Life expectancy 2023
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