This was my journal entry on my way home from Nyamata Memorial Church august 18:
Just leaving Nyamata, after sharing a moment of silence in honour and memory, holding hands in a circle with all participants; and one of the Rwandan participants led us in a beautiful memorial prayer. It is so hard to imagine and understand that the 10 000 people that went into this church for refuge did not come out.... Didn't have a safe bus waiting for them outside to bring them home for dinner.
I saw piles and piles of clothes that thousands of innocent people were killed in, a separate pile for clothes taken off the thousands of bodies found that had beeb disposed by being thrown down toilet holes; the bent bars in the metal doors that the militia forced their way through; blood stains on the alter cover and all over the walls, bullet holes, broken bricks on pillars by heads being smashed against them. A top hat, jewlery and rosaries, children's overalls.... Never to be worn again.
In the backyard of the church were mass graves of 45 000 people, which included those inside the church And the surrounding community. We were able to walk underground into them.... Rows of coffins, of bones, of skulls that showed the brutality of their deaths... Machete slashes, cracked in half, or some with bullet holes- who as our guide explained were those that paid a fee for a gunshot to spare the pain of other unthinkable methods of murder. The guide told us many horrific stories...
It is still so unimaginable even thoughthe site is so present... So haunting...Evidence in front of my eyes. It seems to be some form of self protection mechanism because thinking of reality would be too painful... But this was reality for so many. I stood looking at the mass graves thinking ... 45 000 buried right here.... My entire university population is 20 000... My attempt to get some sort of Perspective on numbers and scale.
We had time for personal reflection and it was hard to keep my eyes off some of my Rwandan friends who I know lost their families in 1994. I wanted so badly to give them a hug go let them know someone was there for support but knew I couldn't and that they needed their time alone. I then also started to question whether I had the right to be so emotional at this site and mourn along with them- afterall I am a representative of the international community that failed them during this time of need.
Stories I have been told and conversations I have had since I have been here kept running through my head..one in particular with a guy around my age who lives with one of the Rwandan participants in a group of 7 friends and cousins who were all orphaned in the genocide and have lived together since. He asked me one day how I feel when I am with my parents or having dinner as a family..." I was too young when they were killed I don't remember what it's like, that's why I'm asking... "
The strength of everyone I have met here is truly unreal. Each of them have gone through such horrific experiences and painful pasts yet they dance and sing non stop and know how to live in the moment. I have heard over and over... "Life has to go on."
My host mother was another person I kept thinking of today, a beautiful, extremely warm hearted woman. Over dinner one night, when her daughter had just left the room, she started telling us her story, how she lost her husband and her entire family- left alone with her one daughter claudette. With tears coming down hard she said "that's why we are living here like this" indicating the tiny 2 room with nothing more than bare necessities, "we went wherever we could find... One day we'll have more." she also said agin and again... Life has to go on. We asked her if she ever talks about it, if she had anyone to talk to... And she said no, never. I think it was clear she appreciated us listening to her story that has been kept in side for too long.
It was important for me to go there and see the gruesome sites, to go home with strong memories and stories to share.
Where were you in 1994? I was 4 years old... Running around on playgrounds and kindergarten classrooms. In a country halfway around the world, it could have been my life cut short then and there... But Life at home proceeded as normal. Did you know what was happening? Did anyone bat an eyelash? I think of this and it boggles my mind how a world can just sit still and watch... And then remind myself that this didn't just happen once, but again and again around the world and even happens right now, today- the world hasn't changed. If we don't see it or personally experience it, we don't care. It is way too easy to ignore and way too hard to imagine the realities taking place. After seeing yet another painful memorial site.... I am reminded again of my duty and responsibility as a global citizen to fight apathy, to educate about the past, advocate for change in the present and help build a peaceful future.
Please remember.
Never again.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Reflections and brief summary
Over two weeks in Rwanda and it's a weird feeling because on one hand time is flying by way too fast and on the other hand I feel like I have been here forever! I am completely accostomed to not expecting toilet seats, toilet paper, soap or even running water to flush or wash hands.... I have even gotten really used to holes in the ground. I am used to bucket laundry, eating and living with all kinds of creatures, nightfall at 6pm, taking motos to work and all around the city....
Still however getting used to being called "mezungu" everywhere I go, which means "white person". I have never been so aware of the colour of my skin or the assumptions that go along with it. I have never before experienced being such a visibly different target or treated so differently because of my ethnicity. It is something that is Definitely hard to adjust to.... Especially when I am stopped to ask why I am here, how it compares to America... "we don't have much like you do over there....we get by with what we have." I never know what to say or how to respond. Yes, our lifestyle is most definitely one of excess and luxury, and day to day I don't have to think about rationing or fetching water,what I will eat for dinner or how I will manage a fulltime job during school to finance an education. There are assets here that our society has lost touch with however... The sense of community, talking with neighbours, the culture of embracing friends and holding hands and appreciating the gift of each day. I have 3 more weeks but I am already scared of how I will adjust to the culture shock I know will be inevitable upon my return. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity to immerse myself in this different way of life, to get a more wordly view and understand and connect with a different culture. One thing I have definitely seen here is that no matter how different our lifestyles are there is something special about the universality of a smile, a handshake, dancing and sharing a laugh across language and cultural divides. I have been able to experience the reality of a global community and our shared humanity.
A brief overview of the last couple weeks....we started our fieldwork placements with one of our 5 partner organizations; Ishyo, COPORWA, usienga y manzi, AJPRODHO, and RAPP, the one I am placed with. More about that later. We have also gone on many incredible field visits including "ivuka arts" an organization that provides art classes and a childrens dance troupe for kids in a rough community in Kigali. I went to visit "rwanda knits" a program ofRAPP and part of the "women's village of hope" a village of women creating various projects to generate income. We went as a group to a human rights NGO called LIPRODHOR "league for the promotion of human rights in rwanda". Went to a city called Butare for the weekend to see one of our Rwandan participants in a concert and another participant at the orphanage he runs as part of the "rwandan village concept project".
3 of us went to a memorial about 45 minutes away from butare called Marambi. This was the site of the mass killing of 50 000 people in April 1994. 18 000 bodies have been excavated from mass graves and are in display in the rooms upon rooms of the abandoned school. It was overwhelming and eerie and somehow still unimaginable even being in the room witnessing the result of genocide. I am glad I took the trip out there: to pay tribute and to be left forever with real images I won't get out of my head.... Information in a book or movie is too easy to take in and move on. This is a permanent reminder. I couldn't help but remember my experiences travelling to concentration camps of the holocaust last summer and was filled with anger that I have been a witness and have seen the sites of one too many places.
Sunday back in Kigali our LAC human rights delegation hosted a mini conference on "arts for peace and human rights" with local artists from theatre, dance, music, visual, literary and film backgrounds. Today we had meetings with the Media High Council as well as the National Human Rights Commission. Tomorrow morning we are meeting with the Ministry of Sport and Culture.
This week is full of fieldwork projects, more visits to local NGO's and the Nyamata Church memorial. Really looking forward to experiencing it all!!!
Still however getting used to being called "mezungu" everywhere I go, which means "white person". I have never been so aware of the colour of my skin or the assumptions that go along with it. I have never before experienced being such a visibly different target or treated so differently because of my ethnicity. It is something that is Definitely hard to adjust to.... Especially when I am stopped to ask why I am here, how it compares to America... "we don't have much like you do over there....we get by with what we have." I never know what to say or how to respond. Yes, our lifestyle is most definitely one of excess and luxury, and day to day I don't have to think about rationing or fetching water,what I will eat for dinner or how I will manage a fulltime job during school to finance an education. There are assets here that our society has lost touch with however... The sense of community, talking with neighbours, the culture of embracing friends and holding hands and appreciating the gift of each day. I have 3 more weeks but I am already scared of how I will adjust to the culture shock I know will be inevitable upon my return. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity to immerse myself in this different way of life, to get a more wordly view and understand and connect with a different culture. One thing I have definitely seen here is that no matter how different our lifestyles are there is something special about the universality of a smile, a handshake, dancing and sharing a laugh across language and cultural divides. I have been able to experience the reality of a global community and our shared humanity.
A brief overview of the last couple weeks....we started our fieldwork placements with one of our 5 partner organizations; Ishyo, COPORWA, usienga y manzi, AJPRODHO, and RAPP, the one I am placed with. More about that later. We have also gone on many incredible field visits including "ivuka arts" an organization that provides art classes and a childrens dance troupe for kids in a rough community in Kigali. I went to visit "rwanda knits" a program ofRAPP and part of the "women's village of hope" a village of women creating various projects to generate income. We went as a group to a human rights NGO called LIPRODHOR "league for the promotion of human rights in rwanda". Went to a city called Butare for the weekend to see one of our Rwandan participants in a concert and another participant at the orphanage he runs as part of the "rwandan village concept project".
3 of us went to a memorial about 45 minutes away from butare called Marambi. This was the site of the mass killing of 50 000 people in April 1994. 18 000 bodies have been excavated from mass graves and are in display in the rooms upon rooms of the abandoned school. It was overwhelming and eerie and somehow still unimaginable even being in the room witnessing the result of genocide. I am glad I took the trip out there: to pay tribute and to be left forever with real images I won't get out of my head.... Information in a book or movie is too easy to take in and move on. This is a permanent reminder. I couldn't help but remember my experiences travelling to concentration camps of the holocaust last summer and was filled with anger that I have been a witness and have seen the sites of one too many places.
Sunday back in Kigali our LAC human rights delegation hosted a mini conference on "arts for peace and human rights" with local artists from theatre, dance, music, visual, literary and film backgrounds. Today we had meetings with the Media High Council as well as the National Human Rights Commission. Tomorrow morning we are meeting with the Ministry of Sport and Culture.
This week is full of fieldwork projects, more visits to local NGO's and the Nyamata Church memorial. Really looking forward to experiencing it all!!!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Poems
I have been writing poems periodically throughout my weeks here and thought I would share some.
This first one I wrote on the first day after our discussion on Human Rights definitions, documents etc.:
Human rights mean nothing if they're not realized
and exist only in a world of which we fantacize.
A world where we don't turn blind eyes
to violations and cries;
declarations and international law truly implies
action, and noone denies
the global realities our media hides.
Stop the debate on who responsibility lies
its on everyone everywhere, regardless of position or size.
And with all of our tries
the human rights movement will rise.
We won't have to close our eyes
to fantacize
because all over the world, human rights will be clearly defined
and the world comprised
of countries who comply
discrimination and hatred won't fly
and violators criminilized.
Freedom of thought and expression
opinion, religion, freedom to question,
no person, no group marginalized.
Until then we can't just dream passively,
but through education and advocacy,
We'll see the time when human rights globally,
are honoured, respected,
and realized.
This first one I wrote on the first day after our discussion on Human Rights definitions, documents etc.:
Human rights mean nothing if they're not realized
and exist only in a world of which we fantacize.
A world where we don't turn blind eyes
to violations and cries;
declarations and international law truly implies
action, and noone denies
the global realities our media hides.
Stop the debate on who responsibility lies
its on everyone everywhere, regardless of position or size.
And with all of our tries
the human rights movement will rise.
We won't have to close our eyes
to fantacize
because all over the world, human rights will be clearly defined
and the world comprised
of countries who comply
discrimination and hatred won't fly
and violators criminilized.
Freedom of thought and expression
opinion, religion, freedom to question,
no person, no group marginalized.
Until then we can't just dream passively,
but through education and advocacy,
We'll see the time when human rights globally,
are honoured, respected,
and realized.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Election Day!
The much anticipated day in Rwanda has finally arrived! After an intense 20 days of campaigning, Rwandans finally had the chance today to cast their ballots!
We met two Rwandan participants at our guesthouse this morning and we followed them each to their polling stations to see how the process worked. The first one was the station that the President was set to vote at at 10:30...we just missed him, but still had to go through intense security. We followed her in and she explained the entire process to us. She was so excited for election day, all dressed up in a suit and everything! Everyone in line was dressed up for the occasion, music was blasting and the place was decorated so nicely. The station is assigned by "district" and then residents must go find the room their "cell" is designated to (a smaller community division). Each cell has their room decorated in different colours and decorations. Voters go in and stamp their thumbprint next to the name of the candidate (and picture of candidate and political party name and symbol picture). They then stamp their pinky finger next to the registration list and cast their ballot in the dropbox. The smiles and pride of everyone walking out of the polls were amazing and so energizing! Everyone was so excited to vote! Made me realize how much I take Canadian democracy and my privelege to vote so much for granted.
We followed another participant to his polling station and watched him follow the same process.
We were then invited to one of their houses for lunch....which, Rwandan styles took 4 hours. After a round of fanta, the local beer "Bananna beer" and a huge festive meal and dancing watching election coverage.
The preliminary results are about to be announced and the group is meeting at a local bar to watch them be announced!
The energy in the city is amazing and I am so excited to have been in Kigali and such an important time for the country! Tomorrow is most likely a National Holiday and celebration so we will see what the day consists of!
Will write a post soon to discuss my homestay experience, the life changing trip to the Eastern Province and everthing else that I have experienced here!!
Ijoro Ryiza!
We met two Rwandan participants at our guesthouse this morning and we followed them each to their polling stations to see how the process worked. The first one was the station that the President was set to vote at at 10:30...we just missed him, but still had to go through intense security. We followed her in and she explained the entire process to us. She was so excited for election day, all dressed up in a suit and everything! Everyone in line was dressed up for the occasion, music was blasting and the place was decorated so nicely. The station is assigned by "district" and then residents must go find the room their "cell" is designated to (a smaller community division). Each cell has their room decorated in different colours and decorations. Voters go in and stamp their thumbprint next to the name of the candidate (and picture of candidate and political party name and symbol picture). They then stamp their pinky finger next to the registration list and cast their ballot in the dropbox. The smiles and pride of everyone walking out of the polls were amazing and so energizing! Everyone was so excited to vote! Made me realize how much I take Canadian democracy and my privelege to vote so much for granted.
We followed another participant to his polling station and watched him follow the same process.
We were then invited to one of their houses for lunch....which, Rwandan styles took 4 hours. After a round of fanta, the local beer "Bananna beer" and a huge festive meal and dancing watching election coverage.
The preliminary results are about to be announced and the group is meeting at a local bar to watch them be announced!
The energy in the city is amazing and I am so excited to have been in Kigali and such an important time for the country! Tomorrow is most likely a National Holiday and celebration so we will see what the day consists of!
Will write a post soon to discuss my homestay experience, the life changing trip to the Eastern Province and everthing else that I have experienced here!!
Ijoro Ryiza!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Kigali Memorial Centre
Sunday, August 8
It has been almost a week and I have learned more, experienced more and seen more than I could have possibly imagined. Memorial Centre, homestays with incredible Rwandan families, trip to the Eastern Province to visit rural villages and potter communities, visit to USAID, and a night out dancing in Kigali...I could write a novel right now! Instead, I will post in installments some of the highlights of my past week.
On Tuesday, August 3 we went to visit the Kigali Memorial Centre, in memory of the 1994 genocide. Visiting this centre with our Rwandan participants made the experience that much harder, but also that much more meaningul. It was hard knowing that every single one of our Rwandan friends, had been affected in some way. Many were orphaned, grew up in child-headed households, lost everything and everyone and are still struggling with post conflict reconciliation.
Walking through the memorial with them was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Standing alongside them as the stories and pictures triggered reactions and tears too painful to witness let alone to experience. And there was nothing I could do; as no arm or shoulder or hug could begin to ease any of their pain.
The memorial gave me a much greater and more holistic understanding of the genocide and the historical lead up to it, starting from before the beginnings of colonialism. Although I thought I knew the story and had done extensive research, relearning in this context was important, and I quickly realized there was so much I had yet to learn.
It was an extremely powerful and emotional museum. The guided tour began in the memorial gardens, the site of mass graves where 258 000 bodies are buried and more continue to be discovered. One of the rooms in the exhibit, I sat down to watch a video and one of the Rwandan participants sat next to me and said "I got to shool with that boy" (in the film). That moment hit me so hard and made the situation so much more real, and reminded me again, that everyone in this country today has a horrific story that they continue to live with.
One exhibit was entitled "Wasted Lives" dedicated to other genocides. I was reminded again of the continous failure of humanit and felt so hopeless and angry. The last exhibit was entitled "tomorrow lost" a tribute to "our children who should have been our future". I always find children's memorial's the hardest as stopping to look at one child and imagining the life they may have had, the contributions they may have made and their innocence and purity stripped away so untimely and unjustly is absolutely heartbreaking. One participant said "I come to this place often because I have a friend here. A little boy named Patrique. When you see him, please say hello."
The most incredible part of the day was the 3 hour derief session that followed; 98% dominated by the Rwandan participants. Many of them shared their emotional personal stories and their experiences coming to terms with the past, rebuilding a life and learning to forgive. "If I continue to hate will it bring my parents and sisters back? No. Forgiveness is essential to creating unity in our country." They talked about the process reconciliation, international perceptions of Rwanda, and what they want us to bring back home with us. We heard some heated arguments and disagreements as well as some incredibly inspiring messages from the participants about how "youth are the Rwanda of tomorrow and we must learn from the past and lead the future of progress in the country". I have never been in a more powerful debriefing session and I am so honoured to have been able to collect these stories and share back at home.
we then had to go around in a circle and state one thing we can promise to do towards achieving "never again"; phrased as "I can".
I stated, "I can refuse to remain silent."
We ended with one Rwandan participant, orphaned during the genocide, stating "no one ever has the right to take another life away." and he led us into a song, with us holding hands in a circle, in Kinyarwanda that translated to "we are all one". After hours of sharing emotional stories and debating various thoughts and opinions, this was a beautiful celeration of unity and hope.
I learned the word "Agaruka" which means, stand up. And we all must promise to do that. Stand up and raise our voices. Autrocities like the 1994 genocide in Rwanda should have never happened, and should never happen again.
We left the debrief to go to our homestay families. I look forward to writing a post about what an absolutely amazing experience that was .
It has been almost a week and I have learned more, experienced more and seen more than I could have possibly imagined. Memorial Centre, homestays with incredible Rwandan families, trip to the Eastern Province to visit rural villages and potter communities, visit to USAID, and a night out dancing in Kigali...I could write a novel right now! Instead, I will post in installments some of the highlights of my past week.
On Tuesday, August 3 we went to visit the Kigali Memorial Centre, in memory of the 1994 genocide. Visiting this centre with our Rwandan participants made the experience that much harder, but also that much more meaningul. It was hard knowing that every single one of our Rwandan friends, had been affected in some way. Many were orphaned, grew up in child-headed households, lost everything and everyone and are still struggling with post conflict reconciliation.
Walking through the memorial with them was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Standing alongside them as the stories and pictures triggered reactions and tears too painful to witness let alone to experience. And there was nothing I could do; as no arm or shoulder or hug could begin to ease any of their pain.
The memorial gave me a much greater and more holistic understanding of the genocide and the historical lead up to it, starting from before the beginnings of colonialism. Although I thought I knew the story and had done extensive research, relearning in this context was important, and I quickly realized there was so much I had yet to learn.
It was an extremely powerful and emotional museum. The guided tour began in the memorial gardens, the site of mass graves where 258 000 bodies are buried and more continue to be discovered. One of the rooms in the exhibit, I sat down to watch a video and one of the Rwandan participants sat next to me and said "I got to shool with that boy" (in the film). That moment hit me so hard and made the situation so much more real, and reminded me again, that everyone in this country today has a horrific story that they continue to live with.
One exhibit was entitled "Wasted Lives" dedicated to other genocides. I was reminded again of the continous failure of humanit and felt so hopeless and angry. The last exhibit was entitled "tomorrow lost" a tribute to "our children who should have been our future". I always find children's memorial's the hardest as stopping to look at one child and imagining the life they may have had, the contributions they may have made and their innocence and purity stripped away so untimely and unjustly is absolutely heartbreaking. One participant said "I come to this place often because I have a friend here. A little boy named Patrique. When you see him, please say hello."
The most incredible part of the day was the 3 hour derief session that followed; 98% dominated by the Rwandan participants. Many of them shared their emotional personal stories and their experiences coming to terms with the past, rebuilding a life and learning to forgive. "If I continue to hate will it bring my parents and sisters back? No. Forgiveness is essential to creating unity in our country." They talked about the process reconciliation, international perceptions of Rwanda, and what they want us to bring back home with us. We heard some heated arguments and disagreements as well as some incredibly inspiring messages from the participants about how "youth are the Rwanda of tomorrow and we must learn from the past and lead the future of progress in the country". I have never been in a more powerful debriefing session and I am so honoured to have been able to collect these stories and share back at home.
we then had to go around in a circle and state one thing we can promise to do towards achieving "never again"; phrased as "I can".
I stated, "I can refuse to remain silent."
We ended with one Rwandan participant, orphaned during the genocide, stating "no one ever has the right to take another life away." and he led us into a song, with us holding hands in a circle, in Kinyarwanda that translated to "we are all one". After hours of sharing emotional stories and debating various thoughts and opinions, this was a beautiful celeration of unity and hope.
I learned the word "Agaruka" which means, stand up. And we all must promise to do that. Stand up and raise our voices. Autrocities like the 1994 genocide in Rwanda should have never happened, and should never happen again.
We left the debrief to go to our homestay families. I look forward to writing a post about what an absolutely amazing experience that was .
Monday, August 2, 2010
Welcome to Kigali!
Muraho!!!
I can't believe its only been 2 days! It feels like I've been here for so long already! Internet is harder to come by than I originally anticipated, so blog posts may be a little irregular, but I will do what I can!
I arrived at 12:30am on Saturday (Friday night) and arrived at the St. Paul's guesthouse by 1ish. St. Paul's is a guest house right by the largest catholic church in Kigali called St. Famille. At night it was scary, not being able to really see what it looked like or where anything was... cement floors, outdoor bathrooms (no toilet paper or sinks, or toilet lids), outdoor showers in the same area, and I had to figure out the mosquito net situation in my room, and the power had decided to turn off for the night. It definitely was an adventure and something I knew I would have to get used to! (Now I am already completely used to it and it feels like home). The accommadations are really as the program says "culturally appropriate". Really, I have realized, it has absolutely everything I need here - a bed, a light, a bathroom and a shower (which I am actually lucky to have here, and I know that).
On Saturday afternoon we went for a typical Rwandan buffet lunch (fried bananas, rice, avocado and beans...and found out quickly we would be eating this pretty much everyday). That evening we went to the finals of an annual African dance competition! Very exciting to be part of a local event!
Sunday we went on a tour of Kigali; saw a great, active youth centre started by Michael Jackson's producer, with many soccer and basketball games going on and many other positive NGO's working to rebuild the country. We stopped at the Belgian memorial which was the site of the shooting of the 10 Belgian soldiers who were protecting the Prime Minister during the genocide, which was definitely an emotional stop. We saw many other sites that are well known by stories that took place during the genocide, and it was really thought provoking, to put history into real context.
We had our first full day of a program orientation with the North American participants at the head office of the Rwandan organization partnering with Global Youth Connect in leading the program called AJPRODHO. We had great discussions about our motivations to be here, what we wanted to learn, discussions about identity, perceptions of privilege, and had a Rwandan culture discussion to really star understanding what is appropriate or not and customs to be aware of. (such as not eating or drinking on the streets - a cultural faux pas). At night a group of us went to a theatre production that was in French and was actually created by a Canadian and fist produced at the National Arts Centre and travelled to Toronto and Montreal before being adapted to the Rwandan context and produced here. We were able to make it to the closing night of the performance. It was at an NGO called ISHYO which is one of the groups we are working with throughout the delegation as well.
Today was the official first day of the program and I couldn't be happier to be here! The program concept is actually ideal. There are an equal number of Rwandan and North American participants and the program is organized jointly between GYC and AJPRODHO, creating what they call a "Learning and Action Community," as we are both learning in workshops and conferences and meetings with various groups around Rwanda, as well as actively volunteering with local NGO's; all with a focus on using "Arts for Peace and Development".
We both had to welcome the other group with a song or dance. The Rwandan group welcomed us with a beautiful song and dance about the beauty of Rwanda. The North American group prepared a song to the tune of "we will rock you" ( we thought it was a typical North American beat/song).
We had absolutely incredible break out group discussions coming up with our own definitions for "human rights". "Value of the human being which must be respected by others" was the definition created by the "Rwandan only" group that was voted on by the group to be the most encompassing definition. I was part of the "mixed group" and our definition was "a set of rights, developed throughout history, that empower all human beings with the freedom to live life to its fullest potential, without any exceptions." The discussion lasted most of the morning and it was really interesting to hear different perspectives are start thinking from different angles.
The rest of the afternoon was the the chance to talk about building community, the various organizations we will be breaking out to volunteer with over the next couple of weeks. I will be working with an organization called RAPP, with a program that uses street theatre to educate about HIV/AIDS, trying to mobilize communities to get tested and to use condoms. We had a great discussion with someone from the organization who told us all about the program and what other "Learning and Action Community" participants have done with them in the past.
So far, I am absolutely thrilled and pumped to be here. The North American and Rwandan participants are all absolutely incredible with amazing histories and backgrounds and I already feel I have known people for so long!
Tomorrow we are going to the Kigali Memorial and going to our first homestays!!
Everything is amazing here! Had an absolutely amazing Moroccan dinner tonight at an amazing fancy restaurant in Kigali...probably nicer than any restaurant I have been to at home! The fruit is great, the people are great, the temperature is great, and the journey has only just begun!
Can't wait for the next 3 weeks of what will certainly be a life changing adventure!! I will try to capture some of the stories from all the absolutely incredibly inspiring people I am meeting along the way, and the participants in this fantastic program. It's impossible to get it all down at once, just stay tuned, because there is so much I am anxious to share already!
Ijoro Ryiza
(Goodnight!)
I can't believe its only been 2 days! It feels like I've been here for so long already! Internet is harder to come by than I originally anticipated, so blog posts may be a little irregular, but I will do what I can!
I arrived at 12:30am on Saturday (Friday night) and arrived at the St. Paul's guesthouse by 1ish. St. Paul's is a guest house right by the largest catholic church in Kigali called St. Famille. At night it was scary, not being able to really see what it looked like or where anything was... cement floors, outdoor bathrooms (no toilet paper or sinks, or toilet lids), outdoor showers in the same area, and I had to figure out the mosquito net situation in my room, and the power had decided to turn off for the night. It definitely was an adventure and something I knew I would have to get used to! (Now I am already completely used to it and it feels like home). The accommadations are really as the program says "culturally appropriate". Really, I have realized, it has absolutely everything I need here - a bed, a light, a bathroom and a shower (which I am actually lucky to have here, and I know that).
On Saturday afternoon we went for a typical Rwandan buffet lunch (fried bananas, rice, avocado and beans...and found out quickly we would be eating this pretty much everyday). That evening we went to the finals of an annual African dance competition! Very exciting to be part of a local event!
Sunday we went on a tour of Kigali; saw a great, active youth centre started by Michael Jackson's producer, with many soccer and basketball games going on and many other positive NGO's working to rebuild the country. We stopped at the Belgian memorial which was the site of the shooting of the 10 Belgian soldiers who were protecting the Prime Minister during the genocide, which was definitely an emotional stop. We saw many other sites that are well known by stories that took place during the genocide, and it was really thought provoking, to put history into real context.
We had our first full day of a program orientation with the North American participants at the head office of the Rwandan organization partnering with Global Youth Connect in leading the program called AJPRODHO. We had great discussions about our motivations to be here, what we wanted to learn, discussions about identity, perceptions of privilege, and had a Rwandan culture discussion to really star understanding what is appropriate or not and customs to be aware of. (such as not eating or drinking on the streets - a cultural faux pas). At night a group of us went to a theatre production that was in French and was actually created by a Canadian and fist produced at the National Arts Centre and travelled to Toronto and Montreal before being adapted to the Rwandan context and produced here. We were able to make it to the closing night of the performance. It was at an NGO called ISHYO which is one of the groups we are working with throughout the delegation as well.
Today was the official first day of the program and I couldn't be happier to be here! The program concept is actually ideal. There are an equal number of Rwandan and North American participants and the program is organized jointly between GYC and AJPRODHO, creating what they call a "Learning and Action Community," as we are both learning in workshops and conferences and meetings with various groups around Rwanda, as well as actively volunteering with local NGO's; all with a focus on using "Arts for Peace and Development".
We both had to welcome the other group with a song or dance. The Rwandan group welcomed us with a beautiful song and dance about the beauty of Rwanda. The North American group prepared a song to the tune of "we will rock you" ( we thought it was a typical North American beat/song).
We had absolutely incredible break out group discussions coming up with our own definitions for "human rights". "Value of the human being which must be respected by others" was the definition created by the "Rwandan only" group that was voted on by the group to be the most encompassing definition. I was part of the "mixed group" and our definition was "a set of rights, developed throughout history, that empower all human beings with the freedom to live life to its fullest potential, without any exceptions." The discussion lasted most of the morning and it was really interesting to hear different perspectives are start thinking from different angles.
The rest of the afternoon was the the chance to talk about building community, the various organizations we will be breaking out to volunteer with over the next couple of weeks. I will be working with an organization called RAPP, with a program that uses street theatre to educate about HIV/AIDS, trying to mobilize communities to get tested and to use condoms. We had a great discussion with someone from the organization who told us all about the program and what other "Learning and Action Community" participants have done with them in the past.
So far, I am absolutely thrilled and pumped to be here. The North American and Rwandan participants are all absolutely incredible with amazing histories and backgrounds and I already feel I have known people for so long!
Tomorrow we are going to the Kigali Memorial and going to our first homestays!!
Everything is amazing here! Had an absolutely amazing Moroccan dinner tonight at an amazing fancy restaurant in Kigali...probably nicer than any restaurant I have been to at home! The fruit is great, the people are great, the temperature is great, and the journey has only just begun!
Can't wait for the next 3 weeks of what will certainly be a life changing adventure!! I will try to capture some of the stories from all the absolutely incredibly inspiring people I am meeting along the way, and the participants in this fantastic program. It's impossible to get it all down at once, just stay tuned, because there is so much I am anxious to share already!
Ijoro Ryiza
(Goodnight!)
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