Scholastique Mukasonga
At a glance
| Born | 1956, former Gikongoro province |
|---|---|
| Lives | Normandy, France |
| Known for | Notre-Dame du Nil (Our Lady of the Nile), 2012 |
| Awards | Prix Renaudot and Prix Ahmadou-Kourouma, 2012; Simone de Beauvoir Prize, 2021 |
Source: Wikipedia: Scholastique Mukasonga; RFI: Scholastique Mukasonga wins the 2012 Prix Renaudot1,2
Early life
Mukasonga was born in 1956 near the Rukarara river in south-western Rwanda. In 1960 her family was deported with other Tutsi to Nyamata in Bugesera. She studied in Kigali and Butare, but in 1973 Tutsi pupils were driven out of schools and she went into exile in Burundi, where she qualified as a social worker. She moved to France in 1992.1
Writing
In 1994, 37 members of her family were killed in the genocide against the Tutsi. After returning to Rwanda in 2004, she wrote her first book, Inyenzi ou les Cafards (2006), a memoir of her mother and her childhood in Nyamata. La Femme aux pieds nus followed in 2008.1
Notre-Dame du Nil
Her novel Notre-Dame du Nil, set in a girls’ school in the 1970s, won the Prix Renaudot on 7 November 2012 as well as the Prix Ahmadou-Kourouma. Its English translation, Our Lady of the Nile, was a finalist for the International Dublin Literary Award. She received the Simone de Beauvoir Prize in 2021.1,2
Frequently Asked Questions
Which prize did Scholastique Mukasonga win?
The Prix Renaudot in 2012, for her novel Notre-Dame du Nil.
What was her first book?
Inyenzi ou les Cafards (2006), a memoir of her mother and her childhood in Nyamata.
Is Notre-Dame du Nil available in English?
Yes, as Our Lady of the Nile. It was a finalist for the International Dublin Literary Award.
Sources
Facts checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestRwanda.com for general information.
