Don’t know when I’ll be back again…

Which is what makes leaving Rwanda so difficult.  Over the past ten weeks, I have made great friends and had “wonderful moments.”

Children of Akagari ku Nyakabungo

Children of Akagari ku Nyakabungo

This experience would not have been possible without the support of so many friends, family members and colleagues.  Thank you to… everyone who donated to help me get to Rwanda; Georgetown for its very generous “Improving the Human Condition” grant; Survivor Corps and the Advocacy Project for their support and guidance; my fellow fellows in Africa – Bryan and Laura – who put up with my dictatorial travel ways; my dad for his dedicated comments and grammar checks on all of my blog postings; my mom for managing to keep her cool all summer and not flying out to Rwanda to check up on me; and Zach for putting up with our poor Skype connection and managing to be there for me even when we were oceans apart.

Fellow Fellows at Bora Bora in Bujumbura

Fellow Fellows at Bora Bora in Bujumbura

But most of all, thank you to everyone in Rwanda who let me visit, learn from, and just enjoy your beautiful country…

Executive Committee of DUHARANIREKUBAHO (Fight for Survival)

Executive Committee of DUHARANIREKUBAHO (Fight for Survival)

To my friends at DUHARANIREKUBAHO (Fight for Survival), who welcomed me with open arms and shared their personal stories so candidly.

Consolée and Chantal of ARCT-Ruhuka

Consolée and Chantal of ARCT-Ruhuka

To the counselors at IBUKA and ARCT-Ruhuka for allowing me to witness their important work as trauma counselors.

Women for Women International in Rwanda

Women for Women International in Rwanda

To AERG, ALSAR, Women for Women International, PRO-FEMMES, Imbuto, RAPP, LIPRODHOR, and so many others groups, for doing such necessary and important work here in Rwanda, and allowing me to gain insight into their organizations.  To Louis, for helping me improve upon my French.

Mussolini of ALSAR

Mussolini of ALSAR

To Mussolini for never failing to keep his spirits high and being on every single bus I got on.

Albert and me on my first day in Rwanda

Albert and me on my first day in Rwanda

To Albert, for his guidance, assistance in setting up interviews, and friendship.

Kabera at Lycee de Kigali

Kabera at Lycee de Kigali

To Kabera for allowing me to see inside his world and never failing to inspire me.

Muhire and me at Patrick and Ingrid's Wedding

Muhire and me at Patrick and Ingrid's Wedding

And to Muhire for showing me the hot spots of Kigali (she said that) and keeping me laughing.

As with any trip, there were ups and downs, but the time I spent in Rwanda is something I will take with me for the rest of my life.  I sometimes question how much I accomplished here and if my work had a significant impact, but one thing I know for sure is that I learned more than I ever expected.  And while I don’t have a return ticket booked quite yet, I know I’ll be back.  Turongera Rwanda…

In our final meeting, Kabera pulled out an invitation from a large folder.  “It is for our 13th anniversary celebration.  You will not be here, but I wish you could be. His Excellency will most be our guest of honor.  It will be a very special day for AERG.”

Kabera has dedicated a tremendous amount of work to this event that will take place on August 13th at Amahoro Stadium in Remera.  He will introduce President Kagame to 4,000 of AERG’s members and honored guests, and the ceremony will celebrate AERG’s numerous achievements over the past 13 years.

I tell him I am very sad that I will miss the ceremony.

“When you go home, will your friends and family recognize you?” Kabera asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You have gotten so fat since you have been here.  I don’t know if they will recognize you.”

“Fat?  Really?”  Gosh, I knew the french fries were taking their toll, but was it really that bad?  Maybe he was mixing up his words.  Perhaps he meant tan?

“Yes, when you came you were very small,” he gestured towards my arm and formed a tiny circle with his thumb and forefinger.  “Now you have grown very much large.”  He used both hands to form a new circle.  Then he pointed to my stomach.

Well, thanks for clearing that up Kabera.  I pouted.

The waitress brought over our coffee and juice.  “Murakoze,” I said.

“You are also Rwandan now,” he smiled.  “You speak Kinyarwanda and you know our culture.”  Hardly true, but a nice recovery.

“You must have a Rwandan name.  From now on, you will be Kamaliza.  Kamaliza is a very good name; it has two meanings.  First, it means gold, gold that we found in the ocean.  Second, I call you Kamaliza after the very famous soldier and singer, Kamaliza.  She sang during the war and encouraged the soldiers to go on.  Although she died, her music still inspires me.  So, like as you inspire me, you are Kamaliza.”

Ok, that made up for the fat comment.

We finished our drinks and the time came to say our goodbyes.

“Say hi to Obama!” he said.  “And you, say hi to Kagame on the 13th!  Tell him Kamaliza says hello.”

Kabera, the National Coordinator of the Association des Etudiants et Eleves Rescapes du Genocide (AERG), never ceases to amaze me. In our most recent meeting, I filmed Kabera as he told me about what happened to his family during the genocide in Rwanda, his new artifical AERG family, and his hopes for the future.

When I asked if he had political ambitions, Kabera diplomatically skirted around the issue (he would have done great on Meet the Press), but I can only hope that he enters Rwandan politics.  Kabera is a natural born leader, and any organization or country for that matter would be in good hands with him at the helm.

Check out this interesting article about Benoit Kabayiza, a Rwandan man, accused of genocide, living in the U.S.  The story highlights many of the controversial issues behind gacaca and justice today in Rwanda.  I’m pretty sure I don’t have the answers, and there seems to be little concensus here about what to do in cases like Benoit’s.

H/T: Katelin

Listen to the testimony of Denise, the Executive Secretary of DUHARANIREKUBAHO (Fight for Survival) and a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Despite the loss of most of her family and friends, Denise struggles to take back her life and make a difference in her community.

Albert Gasake, the coordinator of DUHARANIREKUBAHO, shares the story of his family during the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, and how his past motivates him to rise above and give back today.

Yesterday morning, I traveled to Butare to meet with Albert Gasake.  I thought it would be just the two of us, we would do a quick interview, and I would be back in Kigali for a late lunch.  Much to my (pleasant) surprise, however, Albert introduced me to his whole gang, the Executive Committee of DUHARANIREKUBAHO.

DUHARANIREICUBAHO's Executive Committee

DUHARANIREKUBAHO's Executive Committee

DUHARANIREKUBAHO, meaning “Fight for Survival,” is an organization founded by and for orphans of the 1994 genocide.  Founded by Albert, who is now the coordinator, and his colleagues in 2004, DUHARANIREKUBAHO has over 245 members throughout the country focusing on using skills and income generating projects to “take back their lives.”

Siraar and Denise

Siraar and Denise

The mission of the organization is three-fold: to provide a network for orphans of the genocide so that they can help one another overcome trauma and other difficulties; to remember the genocide through yearly commemoration activities and prevent future atrocities; and to assist members in building their skills and generating income.

To get to DUHARANIREKUBAHO’s small one-room office, Albert and Patrick (a member that joined the meeting) took me through La Planete Cyber Cafe which I later learned is a buisiness of DUHARANIREKUBAHO, run by its members, to generate income.  In addition to La Planete, DUHARANIREKUBAHO also has agriculture projects and a bee-keeping/honey making business to benefit its members.

Albert and Patrick in front of La Planete Cyber Cafe

Albert and Patrick in front of La Planete Cyber Cafe

La Planete Cyber Cafe

La Planete Cyber Cafe

Albert and Patrick led me into the office where Fiacre, the vice coordinator; Denise, the secretary; Siraar, the auditor; and Dominique, the production manager; patiently waited for our meeting.  The group introduced themselves and were eager to hear more about my work with Survivor Corps and tell me about the structure and projects of their organization.

Patrick took an album off the shelf and gave me a photo-history of DUHARANIREKUBAHO’s growth.  The images captured commemoration activities, events with trauma counselors - DUHARANIREKUBAHO works with ARCT-Ruhuka to provide counseling to their members - as well as sports and other fun competitions.

Albert loves him some Obama

Albert loves him some Obama

After our meeting, I had a chance to do a few interviews which I will post here as I edit them.  I also gave Albert a very quick tutorial on blogging after he gushed about how much he liked my blog.

Albert and me

Albert and me

I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome from Albert and DUHARANIREKUBAHO.  It was exciting to learn about the great work they are doing and to see how the members are helping one another to “rise above and give back.”

Mussolini and Francis, one of his ALSAR colleagues who is also a landmine survivor, met with me yesterday evening to go over the work they have done on their web site and their organizational documents.  We have been working on their site over the past two months.

In our past meetings, I had given Mussolini a hard time for being late, but yesterday, he arrived before I did.  “Being on time is very important,” he told me.  I blushed.

We walked up the ramp to Bourbon Coffee.  “How was your weekend?” I inquired.

“It was not good.  My leg is hurting.  It is never good when my leg hurts.  They will have to cut it more.”

As we sat in the coffee shop, Mussolini proudly showed me a document Francis and he had put together which clearly describes ALSAR’s mission, activities, and plan of action.  They had not had a lot of time to work on the web site yet, but wanted to make sure they had planned out exactly what they wanted the site to convey first.

We went over the techniques for updating and editing content, and I gave them suggestions on how to design their pages.  I began feeling a bit disappointed that we had not accomplished more.  I think Mussolini sensed this.

“You have made us go boom!” These words were somewhat disconcerting coming from Mussolini, a landmine survivor.

I think he saw my hesitation.  “I mean, you have helped us to explode.”

Hmmm… not much better.

“Your help, on our web site, will help ALSAR grow.  We will be able to do much more with the tools you have given us.”

Ok, I’ll take that.  But the truth is that Mussolini and Francis have given themselves the tools.  I taught them how to work with a google site, but they have overcome their injuries, faced their facts, and have chosen to live.  Although he spends many days in pain, Mussolini is determined to see ALSAR succeed.  He wants to ensure that he helps those who are going through the same mental and physical pains.  He may have lost his leg, but his spirit remains, and it is this strength and determination that will enable him and his organization to grow and succeed.

Candice, Sarina, Lisa

You can really never have enough of ENOUGH.  So, I was delighted when my former ENOUGH colleagues, Candice and Sarina, arrived in Kigali for a few days before taking off for the DRC.  We were supposed to go with Bryan to Jinja, Uganda for some serious “wild on the Nile” rafting, but due to time constraints and a few rescinded car offers, we had to alter our plans (as some might say, TIA!), but we managed to have a fantastic time.

Giraffe

On Friday, we took off bright and early with our driver, Emmay, for Akagera National Game Park in eastern Rwanda.  Led through the park by our guide, Diana, we saw everything there was to see (minus the elephants).  Giraffes, and zebras, and hippos, oh my!  Oh, and some crocodiles, impalas, monkeys, baboons, topis, waterbuck antelopes, reedback antelopes, and bushback antelopes.  Not bad for a day’s work.  We finished off the day with a relaxing meal at Heaven; and it really was heavenly.

Giraffe and Zebra

Saturday did not go exactly as planned.  I learned late Friday night that the next day was Umuganda (“contribution”) - a mandatory morning of service that occurs every last Saturday of the month in Rwanda - and buses, motos, and taxis do not run as everyone must participate in Umuganda.  I called Sarina and Candice to inform them that our trip to Kibuye would be slightly delayed.

I went for a walk during Umuganda and found myself quite unnerved by the absence of people and traffic on the streets.  The few cars that passed by were immediately pulled over by the police, ticketed, and forced to remain parked until Umuganda ended.  During Umuganda, everyone - from the President to government officials to those living in small villages - is supposed to particpate in projects such as cleaning the roads, doing upkeep on public property, or clearing grass around the roadways.  I have read that it is also a time for the public to speak with government officials on a casual basis, but I have not figured out how often this really happens.

Anyway, around noon, our bus finally left for Kibuye, and took us on a most nauseating and uncomfortable ride.  Squished into a tiny matatu for three hours that raced down tightly winding mountain bends was a recipe for disaster.  Within three hours, we had two pukers.  The driver was kind enough to slightly decrease the speed with each round of vomit.

Stepping off the bus, we were able to recover quicker than expected as we were surrounded by beautiful views of Lake Kivu.  Shortly after checking into Hotel St. Jean and enjoying a Primus on the hotel balcony, we were greeted by my first Rwandan rain storm (or rain for that matter) since I arrived in June.  We waited out the storm over dinner at Hotel Bethanie.  And then we waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Four hours later, our food arrived, we gobbled down our “sizzlers” and pasta, and headed back to the hotel.

View from the balcony of Hotel St. Jean in Kibuye

Sunday morning was overcast, but by 11am the sun was coming out and we headed out on a boat ride to Amahoro (“peace”) Island.  The ride was a good chance for Candice to confront her fears after a treacherous ride on Lake Kivu during her last visit to Congo, and a perfect opportunity for us to soak in the gorgeous views.  The island was stunning and I only wish we had had more time.  But alas, our nauseating ride back to Kigali called… and that was one ride we didn’t want to do at night.

Candice at Amahoro

When we returned to Kigali, I said goodbye to Candice and Sarina as they headed off to the DRC today.  Be sure to check out some of the awesome work they are doing with their “Raise Hope for Congo” campaign.

I can’t seem to load up my photos, but you can see all of our adventures in Akagera here, and photos from Kibuye here.

After a six hour bus ride with a driver who was having a love affair with the horn, Bryan, Laura and I arrived in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, for the next part of our journey.  Bujumbura was so similar, yet so different from Kigali.  The people speak Kirundi - which sounds like Kinyarwanda to an ear that understands neither - and French - the language from which Rwanda is trying to move away.  The streets, like Kigali, are packed with women carrying fruit baskets on their heads, motos that pay no mind to pedestrians, and adorable children asking for amafaranga (money).  The city itself is what I imagine Kigali looked like a few years after the genocide; far from developed, but making impressive progress after years of war and ethnic strife.  The security situation, unlike Kigali, is still quite unstable and we were given strict instructions not to remain on the streets after dark.

While we only had a day and a half in Bujumbura, with Laura as our trusty tour guide, we had a chance to see the best of what the city has to offer.  After we got ourselves oriented (and of course, fed), Laura took us for a walk down to Lake Tanganyika.  We positioned ourselves at a fancy hotel for the best Primus I’ve yet to taste and some hippo watching, followed by a delicious pizza dinner.

Bryan and Laura watch for hippos on Lake Tanganyika

Bryan and Laura watch for hippos on Lake Tanganyika

Sunset (and hippos) over Lake Tanganyika

Sunset (and hippos) over Lake Tanganyika

The next day, Laura, had a full day in store for us.  We visited the Musee Vivant, a small zoo-like facility where the rules against cruelty towards animals have clearly not been enforced.  Caged crocs, snakes, leopards and monkeys greeted us as our guide poked them with sticks.  They also had a replica of a traditional village hut, where I got to grind maize and Brian could barely fit inside without knocking off his head.  I guess this explains “Big Man,” the nickname given to him by the Burundians.  Follow Musee Torture - I mean, Vivant - we visited the Bujumbura market where we were tossed through the crowds and yelled at for taking pictures.  There was only one place left to go, la plage.  So, off we went to Bora Bora, a little slice of heaven in the middle of Bujumbura, where we enjoyed some serious R&R, Primus, and a dip in the Lake for Bryan.

Before dinner, we got to meet up with Robert, Survivor Corps’ Africa Program Associate, and Mendi - the Advocacy Project’s Africa Director.  We chatted about our fellowships and got a chance to hear a bit about what they are doing.  Finally, we took off to Khana Kzana to celebrate Laura’s “birthday.”  Minus a somewhat eventful cab ride home, it was a great day and an exciting trip!  Our time in Burundi (and a USHMM podcast with Peter Uvin that I listened to before visiting) sparked my interest in the country.  Thanks to Laura, I’ve got a few new books on my wish list, and I am looking forward to learning more about how its complex history compares with Rwanda’s and how it fits into the overall region.

**Unfortunately, I can’t get my photos to load today, but you can check out my Burundi album here.