For over five decades, Calixte Nzamwita, a Rwandan man, has remained concealed from public life, shunning conversations and any contact with women.

In a revealing mini-documentary by Afrimax Media, the 71-year-old disclosed that he chose to seclude himself in a one-room haven since the tender age of 16.

Nzamwita openly expressed his deep-seated fear of women, a sentiment that has kept him within the confines of his self-imposed sanctuary.

“I locked myself inside my house so that I could keep women at a distance. I don’t want women around me because they make me really scared,” shared Nzamwita in an interview with Afrimax.

Surrounded by a wooden and stick fence, the elderly man rarely steps outside, creating an air of mystery around his reclusive lifestyle.

A nearby resident, who has known him since childhood, remarked, “I have known him to stay inside the house since I was a kid. It seems impossible to see him going out because he is really scared of women.”

Nzamwita has transformed his fenced one-room dwelling into a multi-functional space, serving as his kitchen, bedroom, and toilet. Despite his aversion to physical contact with women, he accepts food from female neighbors, who, in turn, respect his boundaries.

“He doesn’t want us to come closer or talk to him when we try to help him. Instead, we toss things into his house, and then he comes and picks them up,” shared one of his neighbors.

The prevailing belief is that Nzamwita may be grappling with gynephobia, a fear of women. Past traumatic experiences, including mental or physical abuse, neglect, assault, or harassment, could potentially underlie the origins of this phobia.

As Nzamwita’s unusual story unfolds, it raises questions about the lasting impact of past traumas and the complex ways individuals cope with their fears and anxieties.