If you ever meet Jackson Rukundo, you’ll notice something immediately: he is quiet, humble, and always watching the field with a thoughtful seriousness. But behind that calm presence is a story of courage, resilience, and growth that shaped him into one of the strongest leaders 1000 HILLS RUGBY has ever produced.
Jackson began playing rugby in 2009, long before 1000 HILLS RUGBY existed. He trained with the young stars under Coach Habumugisha Fils Moise, a man who helped raise many of Rwanda’s early rugby talents. Like many kids discovering the sport at that time, rugby wasn’t easy. He still remembers the days when you’d bring a ball to the pitch and someone would cut it open out of jealousy and you’d walk home after a beating, wondering whether to return the next day
Why?
Because rugby became the one place where he felt free, where he laughed, where he found true friends, and where the hardships of life didn’t follow him. “Sport makes me calm and happy,” he often says. “Through sport, I gained friends.”
When 1000 Hills Rugby was born, Jackson joined soon after carrying with him the discipline of those early days. And slowly, the quiet boy grew into a leader. Into a captain. Into the kind of player whose honesty, hard work, and example spoke louder than any speeches.
He also became part of a team that made history the squad that won the East African Schools Rugby Tournament in Kigali in 2015. That victory shaped him deeply. It was the moment he realised that hard work, unity, and belief could take him and his teammates farther than they ever imagined.
Of all the memories he holds, one moment stands above the rest:
The first time he stepped onto the field as a starter.
“Ukwinjira mukibuga bwa mbere… that made me happiest,” he says with a shy smile. It was the moment he truly felt part of something bigger than himself.
Today, Jackson is not just a player.
He is a coach for our junior boys, a mentor, and one of the most consistent role models we have. He rarely raises his voice, but when he speaks, people listen. He carries himself with dignity, discipline, and quiet strength always encouraging others, always leading by example, on and off the field.
Because rugby became the one place where he felt free, where he laughed, where he found true friends, and where the hardships of life didn’t follow him. “Sport makes me calm and happy,” he often says. “Through sport, I gained friends.”
When 1000 Hills Rugby was born, Jackson joined soon after carrying with him the discipline of those early days. And slowly, the quiet boy grew into a leader. Into a captain. Into the kind of player whose honesty, hard work, and example spoke louder than any speeches.
He also became part of a team that made history the squad that won the East African Schools Rugby Tournament in Kigali in 2015. That victory shaped him deeply. It was the moment he realised that hard work, unity, and belief could take him and his teammates farther than they ever imagined.
Of all the memories he holds, one moment stands above the rest:
The first time he stepped onto the field as a starter.
“Ukwinjira mukibuga bwa mbere… that made me happiest,” he says with a shy smile. It was the moment he truly felt part of something bigger than himself.
Today, Jackson is not just a player.
He is a coach for our junior boys, a mentor, and one of the most consistent role models we have. He rarely raises his voice, but when he speaks, people listen. He carries himself with dignity, discipline, and quiet strength always encouraging others, always leading by example, on and off the field.
When you ask him about his dreams, he answers with the simplicity of someone who knows what matters:
“I dream of becoming a man who has a family, who lives well, who stands strong.”
And when you ask him what advice he gives young players, he doesn’t hesitate:
“Love the sport you play. Study well. Stay away from drugs.”
Jackson’s journey reminds us of why 1000 HILLS RUGBY exists — to give young people a family, a path, a place to grow. And we are proud to have watched him transform from a quiet young boy with a ball into a leader raising the next generation with patience, love, and example.
His story is still being written.
And the next chapters look bright
“I dream of becoming a man who has a family, who lives well, who stands strong.”
And when you ask him what advice he gives young players, he doesn’t hesitate:
“Love the sport you play. Study well. Stay away from drugs.”
Jackson’s journey reminds us of why 1000 HILLS RUGBY exists — to give young people a family, a path, a place to grow. And we are proud to have watched him transform from a quiet young boy with a ball into a leader raising the next generation with patience, love, and example.
His story is still being written.
And the next chapters look bright