Valentine Munezero captains Rwanda women’s volleyball in Nairobi; one win from final
“We are showing the world what Rwanda can achieve”: Valentine Munezero, the volleyball captain chasing an LA28 Olympic dream
“We are showing the world what Rwanda can achieve”: Valentine Munezero, the volleyball captain chasing an LA28 Olympic dream
From holiday camp to the world stage, Munerezo is leading a national team determined to turn national pride into an Olympic and World Championship breakthrough. They are one win away from the CAVB Women’s Volleyball Championship final.
“This is the time for us to qualify for the World Championship and the Olympic Games,” Rwanda’s women’s volleyball captain Valentine Munezero declared.
To secure a quota spot* for the Olympic Games LA28 , Rwanda must win the 2026 CAVB Women’s Volleyball Championship this Friday (4 September) in Nairobi, or finish in the top three to qualify for the World Championships, another pathway to Olympic qualification.
“ Qualifying for Los Angeles would be a dream come true ,” said Munezero, who captained and competed at the 2019 U20 World Championship in Mexico.
Qualifying as a senior would be more than a personal achievement; it would be a national pride.
“It would show that Rwanda has the talent, potential, and determination to compete at the highest level,” she told Olympics.com .
Rwanda have never reached the final, but their performance in Nairobi has earned glowing reviews from opponents, coaches and spectators.
“The competition is not easy. Every team is here to qualify the World Championship, for the Olympic Games. Everyone is fighting for the trophy . That’s why we are competing,” she said.
Making their fifth appearance at the biannual competition, Rwanda topped group D with three sweeps, including one against the 2009 champions Algeria.
They swept Burkina Faso and went on to beat Ghana 3-1 in the quarter finals to sail into Thursday’s semi-finals, where they will face off 2023 silver medallists and three-time African champions Egypt.
“We’ve worked really hard for this moment, and seeing Rwanda this close to the final makes us even more motivated. But the job is not done yet,” she said.
After the Burkina Faso sweep at the Kasarani Arena, Munezero led the players and fans in singing, “Rwanda itajengwa na sisi wenyewe,” meaning “Rwanda will be built by us ourselves,” a declaration of self-reliance.
Munezero said: “Each one of us has a responsibility to contribute to the Rwanda we want. As athletes, our contribution can be through our performance, our discipline, inspiring people, and being good ambassadors of our country .
“ When we play, we learn teamwork, discipline, respect, resilience, and responsibility. When we represent Rwanda internationally, we are showing the world what Rwanda can achieve .”
The 26-year-old, who took up volleyball in 2013 after her unusual height caught the eye of head coach Christophe Mudahinyuka, is leading the team and carrying the hopes of a nation: “We know the semi-final will be another big challenge, so we’ll stay focused, believe in ourselves, and fight for every single point. We want to make Rwanda proud .”
Striving to make the country proud has been at the heart of Munezero’s journey since 2017. Aged 16, she captained Rwanda’s U18 beach national team, a year that also saw her crowned Rwanda’s best young player.
She currently captains both the beach and indoor national teams. She has captained the indoor national team since 2023, when they finished fourth.
“It’s a good thing because having the trust of the country, it’s like an honour. It’s a big pleasure. I cannot take it for granted.”
“I try my best to make sure that I cannot do the worst things just to make my country look bad,” she told Olympics.com.
*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective teams at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the LA Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at LA28.
Valentine Munezero: A captain leading by example
Munezero’s leadership style is not about speaking or giving instructions. She leads by example: “On the court, I try to show leadership through my performance, my attitude, my fighting spirit, and by taking responsibility when the team needs me.
“ If I ask my teammates to fight until the last point, I have to be the first person doing that .”
In Nairobi, Munezero opened the championship with 16 points against Algeria despite battling flu, while against Burkina Faso the outside hitter had 14 points including 14 in attack and against Ghana another 14.
“My biggest strengths are my mentality, fighting spirit and all the sacrifices I made for a competition. I don’t like giving up. Even when we are behind or things are not going well,” she said.
She believes the training and experience have made her more adaptable, adding: “I also try to stay calm under pressure and take responsibility when the team needs me.
“I respect training. I also respect my body. I try my best to work hard, to go to the gym, to rest, to eat well. As an athlete, you have to respect your body so that you can give a good result.”
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Coach Mudahinyuka’s conversation with Munezero’s father in 2013 and a bus ticket to Kigali would jump-start her career in a sport she barely knew.
Upon joining the holiday camps, she was granted a scholarship for her A levels at IPRC-Kigali, where she played for three years under coach Jean Damascene Ndagijimana.
She studied IT (Business Information Technology) at the University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies in Kigali. She is now pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration and Project Management at the University of Kigali. All paid for by her club, APR, which she joined at 18 years old and has captained since 2023, leading them to win the title this year.
“Sport is very important. We have to respect it. It can take you far from where you are . And you can achieve one of your dreams that you want to achieve,” she said.
Her volleyball accolades include the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medal in her first international assignment, where she partnered with Penelope Musabyimana , saying: “I have had many special memories throughout my volleyball journey, but one of the biggest and most unforgettable was in 2017. I was still very young.
“To come back home with a bronze medal was something very special to me. It gave me confidence and made me believe that I could achieve great things through volleyball .”
It was this confidence that saw the pair win silver at the 2018 African Games in Algeria, where she was voted MVP. Munezero has additional accolades, including recognition from UN Women Rwanda for her contributions to sports and youth empowerment.
Valentine Munezero on the growth of Rwandan volleyball
The progress of Rwandan volleyball is driven by the government’s deliberate efforts to position sport as an economically empowering business.
“We have to work hard and earn from sports. So it is becoming like a profession. So maybe that is why we are improving, that is why we are coming for the Africa Championship,” she said.
Rwanda is also investing in infrastructure and the local volleyball league, which she believes is on the verge of being one of the best on the continent as it attracts foreign players from Brazil, Kenya, Ghana and some from Europe. The ripple effect can be seen in the performances of their national team, which has all homegrown players.
“We are not sleeping. We used to have like only two or three clubs, but now we are like seven, four are strong. So that means a lot to the national team, to the clubs, to the players,” said Munezero.
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Valentine Munezero: Off court and inspiring the next generation
As she juggles books and volleyball, the third-born in a family of five is driven by the developmental strides her country makes each day. She strongly believes sport is creating opportunities for the next generation.
“Every time I put on the Rwanda jersey; I remind myself that. When I look at Rwanda today and compare it to where we have come from, it gives me a lot of motivation and pride ,” she said.
“As an athlete, I want to contribute in my own way by representing Rwanda with pride.”
The 6ft captain has inherent power on and off the court.
“Off the court, leadership is about discipline, respect, supporting your teammates, and being someone people can trust. As a captain, I know that younger players are watching me, so I always try to make sure my actions match my words.”
She partners with NGOs to inspire the next generation through sports, focusing on girls in villages with limited access to volleyball: “ I try my best to inspire young generation who are in the village, so that they can look for me, they can see that everything is possible for them .
“Not only just to stay home, working, cleaning home, stay with their parents, doing nothing but also do a sport as something which is special.”
Coaching as a post-playing career
Inspired by her love for volleyball, the desire to give back to the sport and her understanding of the game, Munezero has pursued coaching to become a Level One Certified Volleyball Coach. She now understands the tactics, techniques, and how to develop players.
“Volleyball has given me so many opportunities, experiences, and lessons in life, and I want to be able to pass that knowledge to the next generation,” she said.
For now, the next generation and Rwanda are holding their breath; they are one match away from the final, and the captain promised they will give everything they have when they face Egypt tomorrow, Thursday (3 September).
Munezero said: “Egypt is a very strong and experienced team, so we are ready for the challenge. We will focus on our game, fight for every ball and give our best to reach the finals.”
Picture by Amon | Rwanda volleyball Federation
23 August - 5 September
Volleyball | Women´s African Nations Championship | Nairobi | Kenya