Who is Johnny English?

My name is Haliyamutu John Fiacre, born in Rwanda in 1981 in the Southern Province. Americans and British call me “Johnny/John English” and many Rwandans call me “Teacher”. Everyone is right because teaching English is my passion. I even remember my father speaking a little English which was unusual as my entire country spoke only Kinyarwanda except for those who attended Secondary School who could speak French. In my early childhood, life was wonderful until I was sent to an excellent Primary School where everything was going to be taught in French. (All my brothers had attended there) My first burning memory was hiding under my desk in a protest.

Because of my obstinate protest, my parents switched me to our rural primary school - no more lights, no more water, no firewood. Fortunately for me, the head of the school spoke English because he had been an ambassador. We started greeting each other in English and I gratefully picked up a few words from my older sisters. I augmented my appetite for English in secondary school as was often staffed with English speaking priests from England or America and I spent much time reading, discussing with my teachers who spoke English and seeking out any English speaking person I could find. This countercultural phenomenon had its challenges, as this was in the pre-Genocide years and the English language was held in low regard.

After graduating from Secondary School, I served as a waiter in order to start purchasing English books for deepening my reading skills although some of them were beyond my knowledge. My hopes were disappointed once again in college when I found that the school where my parents sent me taught only in French and in fact there were no English courses at all. So I fled my hometown with my books and came to Kibungo town, a place that I had never visited and where I knew few people. Life was different from my comfortable home; I had nothing with me except English books, one change of clothes, and my faith; I couldn’t even afford a candle or lamp oil. Starved, strange, thin and homeless, I prevailed on my church for a place to stay and I began to sensitize people who were not motivated to learn English.

Four people finally came to my class as I had prevailed again upon a Director of Catholic schools near by to give me a room. It was 2004 and I was finally seeing my dream of teaching English happening before my eyes. I was happy beyond belief! These successful students were my first ambassadors in Kibungo town and my classes began to grow.

In 2006, I met Nancy McCue from the USA who came to work in Kibungo. She encouraged me and also connected me with other Americans. They have played an invaluable role in helping my English School. My dreams came true when I met Ben and Terri Ransom who have through their kindness supported my English School efforts with additional material and technological information. I kept improving my skills through these efforts with software and books that these Americans gave me and my progress is excellent. I have excelled in many TOEFL or IELTS tests on line.

Perhaps my strongest personal characteristic is my creative persistence in crafting an English Program for my students that will cause them to excel in this new generation in Rwanda. I am dedicated to serving humanity by offering them an exciting program of learning English - a language that will ensure that their future will be bright.