A young man tries to change his country, which still shows the scars of genocide, through cycling.

Samuel Mugisha always dreamed of professional cycling as a way to support his family. After he won a coveted spot on Team Rwanda, his dream became a reality.

For Samuel, this dream has always been bigger than him. After his mother lost her husband and children in the genocide, Samuel has always wanted to give his family the best life possible.

"I thought that if I became a cycling success, I could support my mum. I'd build a house for her and give her anything she wanted," he says.

Samuel's mother supported her son by saving up money every month to rent him a bike that he could use to train.

In a country still showing the scars of genocide, Samuel discovered that cycling for his country comes with important responsibilities. He wants to help change his country for the better through the values he learns from the cycling team.

"In Team Rwanda, we work as cyclists only. There are no more Hutus, Tutsis, or Twa. We don't care where you're from or about your past. We work as a team and we work as brothers," he says.

Source: Al Jazeera