“What does your last name mean?” For the first time on the pod, my guest didn’t know.

But what Ivan Mugemanyi knows well is how to create spaces where people truly feel seen and heard. I sit down with him for a conversation on beauty, purpose, and trust. Ivan, a multidisciplinary artist and one of Kigali’s most sought-after makeup artists, shares how an unexpected path from Belgium to Rwanda led him to a career that empowers others and reflects his evolving sense of identity.

We talk about what it’s like to make people feel comfortable in his chair, how he goes with the flow when he’s behind the camera, and how all the creative things he does (makeup, styling, photography) just come together intuitively. Ivan shares why being too humble can sometimes hold you back, and he tells me about the small things in Kigali that make life feel fuller.

Join the ⁠DeeSquad⁠

Artwork by ⁠Inarunyonga⁠

Music by ⁠KDaGreat

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