If you hear the title Director of Discipline, what comes to mind? Someone who enforces the rules? A strict authority figure?

For Fidele, who holds this role at Karwasa School, that’s exactly what it used to mean. He saw discipline as punishment—sometimes harsh punishment—rather than an opportunity to guide and mentor students.

But after joining the Youth First Rwanda program, a partnership between Wellspring and WorldBeing, he realized there was a better way.

A Harsh Approach That Wasn’t Working

Before the training, Fidele struggled to connect with students, especially girls. They didn’t trust him enough to open up, and he didn’t know how to bridge that gap. When students misbehaved, his first response was punishment—including corporal discipline—without considering what might be driving their behavior.

But deep down, he knew something wasn’t right. He was constantly dealing with the same discipline issues over and over again. The punishments weren’t changing anything. Students weren’t learning from them—they were just afraid.

He needed a new approach.

Turning Discipline into Mentorship

Through Youth First Rwanda, Fidele learned strategies that would reshape his entire approach to discipline. The program focuses on equipping educators with skills in active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution—tools that help teachers and leaders create school environments where students feel safe and supported.

“The sessions on adolescent development helped me understand the physical, emotional, and social changes students go through—not just at school, but also in their families. I realized that if we want to support the youth, we need to find a time and place to sit, listen, and reason with them rather than staying far away and keep blaming them,” Fidele shared.

This wasn’t just a small adjustment in his role—it was a complete transformation in how he saw his students.

Building Trust, Changing Lives

As Fidele put these skills into practice, he turned discipline into mentorship and began to build real relationships with students. He stopped seeing them as troublemakers and started seeing them as young people trying to navigate challenges.

And students responded.

With someone who truly listened to them, they felt safe to open up about their struggles. That trust led to something even more powerful—they started solving their own conflicts.

Before, students would lash out or escalate problems, fearing harsh punishment if they got caught. But now, they had a leader who modeled listening and problem-solving.

Inspired by his example, even students in Senior 1 and Senior 2—who are already facing the challenge of adjusting to secondary school—began handling disputes themselves instead of turning to authority figures.

“With Youth First, I am very happy to see students in lower levels solving their own conflicts… They love coming to school,” Fidele said.

What This Means for Students

A safe and supportive school environment can change the trajectory of a student’s life.

When students know their teachers and school leaders care about them, they’re more engaged in learning. When they have role models who lead with empathy and wisdom, they start believing in their own potential.

For many students, especially girls, having a trusted adult at school can make all the difference. Instead of struggling alone with challenges, they now have someone they can turn to—someone who listens, understands, and helps them find solutions.

The impact of this shift goes far beyond the classroom. Students who grow up in environments of trust and respect carry those values with them into adulthood. They become confident, resilient, and more equipped to lead in their own communities.

A School Transformed

Fidele’s shift in approach hasn’t just made his job easier—it’s reshaped the culture of the entire school.

By focusing on mentorship instead of punishment, he’s helped create a school where students feel safe, heard, and supported. The number of discipline cases has dropped, and more students are thriving in the classroom.

And Fidele isn’t stopping here.

He’s committed to continuing this transformation from discipline into mentorship—not just in his own role, but throughout Karwasa School. He knows that when educators are trained and empowered to lead with empathy, they don’t just improve individual lives. They create ripple effects that change entire school communities.

Because in the end, discipline was never about fear. It was always about guidance, growth, and giving students the support they need to succeed.