Odette Nyiramilimo
# Odette Nyiramilimo

Odette Nyiramilimo (born 1956) is a Rwandan physician and senator. She served as Minister of State for Social Affairs in the government of Paul Kagame from March 2000 to October 2003.

## Background

Nyiramilimo, an ethnic Tutsi, was born in Kinunu, Gisenyi prefecture in 1956. She is seventeenth of her father's eighteen children, born to his second wife.

## Education

In 1981 she graduated as a medical doctor from the National University of Rwanda in Butare.

## Personal life

At age three many members of her family were killed in the power struggles following independence. She experienced an eventful childhood, including expulsion from school because she was Tutsi.

She later married Jean-Baptiste Gasasira, also a physician, and the two later founded a private maternity and pediatrics practice in Kigali called Le Bon Samaritain ("Good Samaritan")

Her life story was profiled at length in Philip Gourevitch's book We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families.

She has 3 children; Clement Uwajeneza (born 1980), Ariane Inkesha (born 1982) and Patrick Cyusa Kinyange (born 1987)

## Career

She worked in Kibuye hospital

She served as Minister of State for Social Affairs in the government of Rwanda from March 2000 to October 2003.

