Jeannine's house
I visited one of my student's homes on Friday.She lives in one of the poorest part of the city, that is at the bottom of the hills (it's terrible when it rains because it gets really muddy and you always have risks of mudslides.Her house consists of one room divided in two by a curtain.On one side you have a mattress for her and her dad (her mother died a few years ago and her sister left the house and got married) and on the other side you have a wooden bunk where they eat and cook.That's it in terms of furniture.They hang their belongings on the wall (clothing etc) No kitchen whatsoever, no electricity, no windows.It's just dark and very stuffy.Jeannine is doing quite poorly at school and you kind understand the reasons when you the her study environment.
The house is situated at the bottom of one of Kigali's hills: and the place is like new world, separated from the rest of the city or what is up the hill.Own little world.It has a small market, a few bars, little shops, hairdressers, etc (nothing fancy, just barracks).To get to the city center you have to go up to hill (very steep) and take a bus.I think mostly people stay down there, except for the kids who go to school.It's a really strange place but people all know each other and greet each other.They have very little yet, as cheesy as it sounds, they have each pother and neighbors help neighbors.Also, there are A LOT of kids down there, which is quite disheartening because jobs are already lacking and I don't see it getting any better any time soon.Rwanda's population is already very large considering the country's size and it is still growing.
I hope her and her dad some groceries because it really seemed like they had absolutely nothing.
Most of the kids and women I work with live in that area.I'm visiting another on Thursday.
Belgian memorial
There's a small memorial for the 10 Belgian UN soldiers in Kigali.The memorial (old military barracks) is actually situated where they got killed so you can still see the bullet holes, grenades and even some blood.It's pretty grim, especially since I've seen the barracks in documentaries and movies.In "Shake hands with the Devil" you see the bodies of two Belgian peacekeepers on the floor.This is where it happened.The memorial was established with the help of the Belgian government and there's also a little museum attached to it.The families of the victims came not long ago and wrong some angry words against UN General Romeo Dallaire and Belgian Military Officer Marchal.. They hold them partly responsible for the death of the 10 soliders.While I understand their gries, I believe Dallaire and Marchal shouldn't be held accountable.Dallaire sent a telegram to the UN warning them about growing tensions and killings and asking for troopps but the Un refused.It was chaos over there and I thinkn he was trying his best considerting the situation.He was pretty much alone and I don't think he could have known his men would be killed.
On another note: I only have one week left!So much to do still.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Food fund
In the past couple of weeks I have realized that some of the kids here seriously lack food.Two cases stand out:
Alphonse is currently living on his own with his disabled brother because his mother has HIV and TB and has therefore been at the hospital for three weeks.Kids here don't complain much so he hadn't told us he wasn't really getting any food.When we asked him where he got dinner he said him and his brother ask neighbours or beg for food but they quite often skip breakfast and lunch.
Then there is Oriva.When I first met her at the beginning of my volunteer project, she was a really happy kid but lately she has been feeling sad and sick.When I asked her why she said that when she comes home for lunch she often finds the door locked because her mother has gone off to work.Or if she can get in, there is nothing to eat (she is ten, so even if there's rice or pasta, she can't cook it).She is a bit of a neglected child, plus her mother has to work hard.
So basically I spent the past ten days buying groceries: pasta, rice, peanut butter, bread, a few fruits and vegetables.And three of the kids now stay for lunch instead of going home.
While this is easy while I'm here, I don't know what's going to happen once I'm gone.So another volunteer and myself decided to establish a food fund.What we would do is pay the supermarket in advance then if it turns out that the kids haven't had food, they can go to the shop with a coupon and get bread or other basic food in exchange.I hope it works out.While education is crucial, food is the most important thing for the moment.
I also found lots of pearls so the women I make baskets with could make jewelry for themselves and sell them at the market.They were really happy and were having a bit of a fashion show.They can be really creative.
So I'm still pretty busy (and using lunchbreak to write these blogs).I'm going to visit some of the kids families and homes tonight and next week.It should be fun even though they live in really poor neighborhoods.
Alphonse is currently living on his own with his disabled brother because his mother has HIV and TB and has therefore been at the hospital for three weeks.Kids here don't complain much so he hadn't told us he wasn't really getting any food.When we asked him where he got dinner he said him and his brother ask neighbours or beg for food but they quite often skip breakfast and lunch.
Then there is Oriva.When I first met her at the beginning of my volunteer project, she was a really happy kid but lately she has been feeling sad and sick.When I asked her why she said that when she comes home for lunch she often finds the door locked because her mother has gone off to work.Or if she can get in, there is nothing to eat (she is ten, so even if there's rice or pasta, she can't cook it).She is a bit of a neglected child, plus her mother has to work hard.
So basically I spent the past ten days buying groceries: pasta, rice, peanut butter, bread, a few fruits and vegetables.And three of the kids now stay for lunch instead of going home.
While this is easy while I'm here, I don't know what's going to happen once I'm gone.So another volunteer and myself decided to establish a food fund.What we would do is pay the supermarket in advance then if it turns out that the kids haven't had food, they can go to the shop with a coupon and get bread or other basic food in exchange.I hope it works out.While education is crucial, food is the most important thing for the moment.
I also found lots of pearls so the women I make baskets with could make jewelry for themselves and sell them at the market.They were really happy and were having a bit of a fashion show.They can be really creative.
So I'm still pretty busy (and using lunchbreak to write these blogs).I'm going to visit some of the kids families and homes tonight and next week.It should be fun even though they live in really poor neighborhoods.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Butare
Another volunteer and I finally decided to go to the genocide memorial in Butare, in the South of the country, towards Burundi.A new technical college was built there just before the genocide and during the massacres, Hutu militia men and local representatives and church men told Tutsis to seek refuge at the college.At the time, Butare was largely populated by Tutsis and many refugees from other regions sought refuge there as well because the mayor was Tutsi before the killings began (he was later killed and replaced. Hutu militia men, interahamwe were then sent to the region).Tutsis hid there for two weeks, 50,000 of them before the interahamwe and local Hutus came to kill them.6 people survived. Those who tried to escape failed to so because the Technical college is surrounded by hills. Hutus would make sure the place was surrounded.Mass graves were then dug and people thrown in, some still alive (excuse the details). The French, Operation Turquoise, arrived a little later and stayed in the college barracks.The role of the French is widely debated and criticized: it has been proven that they helped the Hutus by providing weapons and by failing to help Tutsis.As they stayed at the college, they built a volley ball field...on the mass graves.
After the genocide, many of the victims were buried but survivors decided to establish a memorial there: they decided to preserve 800 bodies in lime and exhibit them.It's a very grtim memorial, very much in contrast with the surrounding peaceful landscape.Some rooms containm children, other women and men.Facial expressions, clothing or a wedding ring is what strucks you more and truly renders the bodies human (they look a little bit alike mummies). Coming out of the room containing children, it is both a relief and disturbing to see children playing outside in the surrounding fields.
I won't post any pictures of the memorial although I had to take a couple for an interview I will give when I get back to Canada.If you are interested, just email me.
Rwandan life stories
Almost daily you hear someone's account of the genocide.For example, the head of the organization I work for is a female doctor. She was already a doctor during the genocide. One days as she was working at the hospital, two wounded men arrived: an interahamwe and an RPF soldier (Tutsi).The interahamwe was badly wounded at the chest, the RPF soldier had been hit at the leg, but was in better shape. So she treated the interahamwe first.The RPF soldier got angry and wanted to have her arrested, if not killed.Thankfully the doctor knew high placed RPF people who managed to calm everyone down.But, still, she was almost killed.Even today, I believe some of her acquaintances have mixed emotions about her...But as a doctor, she still felt she had to do her job and treat the badly wounded patient first...no matter who he was and what he had done. I guess some doctors anywhere else in world find themselves in slightly similar situations when they have to treat rapists, killers etc first before other patients.
Both the RPF soldier and the interahamwe survived.
On a completely different subject, I'm craving salad, cheese and fresh vegetables.Rwandans eat: fries, red beans, plantain, rice, pasta, some veggies (cauliflower, carrots and tomatoes...and good avocados) and a little meat (goat, beef, chicken).Everything is cooked or fried.I know I need energy for the day but still...that's a lot of proteins and starch. I would love a good steak as well...not much meat on there chickens.
After the genocide, many of the victims were buried but survivors decided to establish a memorial there: they decided to preserve 800 bodies in lime and exhibit them.It's a very grtim memorial, very much in contrast with the surrounding peaceful landscape.Some rooms containm children, other women and men.Facial expressions, clothing or a wedding ring is what strucks you more and truly renders the bodies human (they look a little bit alike mummies). Coming out of the room containing children, it is both a relief and disturbing to see children playing outside in the surrounding fields.
I won't post any pictures of the memorial although I had to take a couple for an interview I will give when I get back to Canada.If you are interested, just email me.
Rwandan life stories
Almost daily you hear someone's account of the genocide.For example, the head of the organization I work for is a female doctor. She was already a doctor during the genocide. One days as she was working at the hospital, two wounded men arrived: an interahamwe and an RPF soldier (Tutsi).The interahamwe was badly wounded at the chest, the RPF soldier had been hit at the leg, but was in better shape. So she treated the interahamwe first.The RPF soldier got angry and wanted to have her arrested, if not killed.Thankfully the doctor knew high placed RPF people who managed to calm everyone down.But, still, she was almost killed.Even today, I believe some of her acquaintances have mixed emotions about her...But as a doctor, she still felt she had to do her job and treat the badly wounded patient first...no matter who he was and what he had done. I guess some doctors anywhere else in world find themselves in slightly similar situations when they have to treat rapists, killers etc first before other patients.
Both the RPF soldier and the interahamwe survived.
On a completely different subject, I'm craving salad, cheese and fresh vegetables.Rwandans eat: fries, red beans, plantain, rice, pasta, some veggies (cauliflower, carrots and tomatoes...and good avocados) and a little meat (goat, beef, chicken).Everything is cooked or fried.I know I need energy for the day but still...that's a lot of proteins and starch. I would love a good steak as well...not much meat on there chickens.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Women and the genocide: "Take your machetes and kill all the Tutsis."
You always hear about how conflict affects women and children. It’s true. Men usually do the fighting while women and children suffer the consequences and bear the brunt of the conflict. When men die, women are left alone to head to household. Those who have been raped bear the mark. But I started to wonder if women had played a role during the genocide. I have never seen a picture of a woman holding a machete or standing next to bodies. I had never really heard of a woman standing on trial for genocide. Their murderous role has been put aside, often leading to impunity. Those who committed crimes exploited the image of innocence spread by the world. Yes, many women suffer during conflict, but some also play a role in the continuation of conflict.
I went to the genocide prevention centre and found some literature on the role of women during the genocide. Murderous campaigns against the Tutsis started in the early 1960s and women played an increasingly violent role. Many didn’t need encouragement (although some were indeed threatened, beaten and forced to kill). Some women were among the leaders. They established lists of Tutsis, they participated in attacks, incited hatred and genocide, denounced neighbors and even husbands, killed their husbands and kids, some even encouraged rape. They were teachers, school girls, nurses, doctors, nuns, local representatives, politicians, journalists (“The graves are not yet full. Fill them up” said one RTLM radio journalist). Local representatives and ministers played an active role: Rose Karushara distributed weapons and decided over life and death. Doctors and nurses refused to treat patients. Two ministers, including the Minister of family and Women’s Rights, heavily participated in the organization of the killing, including the elimination of political opponents. They personally kept an eye on some operations. Why did they do it? Extremism, power, money…
Some are in prison now. I have seen a few. Many fled to Tanzania, Congo, etc. Some still live in Kigali even.
I went to the genocide prevention centre and found some literature on the role of women during the genocide. Murderous campaigns against the Tutsis started in the early 1960s and women played an increasingly violent role. Many didn’t need encouragement (although some were indeed threatened, beaten and forced to kill). Some women were among the leaders. They established lists of Tutsis, they participated in attacks, incited hatred and genocide, denounced neighbors and even husbands, killed their husbands and kids, some even encouraged rape. They were teachers, school girls, nurses, doctors, nuns, local representatives, politicians, journalists (“The graves are not yet full. Fill them up” said one RTLM radio journalist). Local representatives and ministers played an active role: Rose Karushara distributed weapons and decided over life and death. Doctors and nurses refused to treat patients. Two ministers, including the Minister of family and Women’s Rights, heavily participated in the organization of the killing, including the elimination of political opponents. They personally kept an eye on some operations. Why did they do it? Extremism, power, money…
Some are in prison now. I have seen a few. Many fled to Tanzania, Congo, etc. Some still live in Kigali even.
First pictures...finally
Work
Akagera National Park
Tanzania on the other side of the lake
Lake Kivu, on the Rwanda/Congo border: Mountains, volcanoes, birds and the UN
Nyamata memorial. Clothing on the floor (church)
Mass graves
More soon!
Akagera National Park
Tanzania on the other side of the lake
Lake Kivu, on the Rwanda/Congo border: Mountains, volcanoes, birds and the UN
Nyamata memorial. Clothing on the floor (church)
Mass graves
More soon!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Rwanda bits and pieces
Motos: I'm addicted to them.They're basically like taxis.Here cabs are expensive so you either get a little bus, a moto or a bike. But motos are just fun.Are the guys always find it hilarious to drive white people around.
Bus: a lot of the drivers decorate their bus: Jay-z, Kanye, Bob Marley, Chris Brown (ew...although I've seen one that said douchebag), T-bag (I don't know who that is but bad choice of name), Eminem...
Football: Africa and Football (or soccer). They just go together.They can't wait for the world cup
Rwandan TV: hilariously bad tv shows.One is called "Banana saga" or story or something like that...very bad acting but almost fun to watch.
Music: Someone called Medhi is extremely famous here.That's all they sing.Not my cup of tea really but when I get back to Canada I'll probably want to listen to him just to remind me of Rwanda.
My Kinyarwadan is getting better and it's always a hit with people here.Hey, at least I'm trying.
Also, I'm establishing a little library here with all kinds of activity books and english books for kids, a few boxes have already been sent from England.But if you have children's books and would like to send some over, let me know. When I get back to Canada, I'll probably try to get as many books as I can and have them sent over.I know a few organizations collect books all the time.We got 13 boxes the other day and the kids (and adults) love it.
Or if you want to sponsor one of centre's children, simply let me know.We established a pdf file with all the information.
Bus: a lot of the drivers decorate their bus: Jay-z, Kanye, Bob Marley, Chris Brown (ew...although I've seen one that said douchebag), T-bag (I don't know who that is but bad choice of name), Eminem...
Football: Africa and Football (or soccer). They just go together.They can't wait for the world cup
Rwandan TV: hilariously bad tv shows.One is called "Banana saga" or story or something like that...very bad acting but almost fun to watch.
Music: Someone called Medhi is extremely famous here.That's all they sing.Not my cup of tea really but when I get back to Canada I'll probably want to listen to him just to remind me of Rwanda.
My Kinyarwadan is getting better and it's always a hit with people here.Hey, at least I'm trying.
Also, I'm establishing a little library here with all kinds of activity books and english books for kids, a few boxes have already been sent from England.But if you have children's books and would like to send some over, let me know. When I get back to Canada, I'll probably try to get as many books as I can and have them sent over.I know a few organizations collect books all the time.We got 13 boxes the other day and the kids (and adults) love it.
Or if you want to sponsor one of centre's children, simply let me know.We established a pdf file with all the information.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Whistle while you work
Things are still great in Rwanda and I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left or so.
I'm very busy with work: sponsoring children, establishing a little library, organizing crafts and painting classes for the kids, teaching children, making baskets with the women and teach them some English, telling them and younger girls about gender-based violence and HIV, helping around at the organization's office...The days are full.I'm also planning on organizing a party/dinner for the kids and the women before I leave. Maybe even a football match if I can find a field.
I visited a woman the other who has HIV and currently has TB.She is extremely thin and stays at the hospital so her kids stay at home all day all by themselves (they can't afford the school fees and the father left). They are extremely poor.I don't think I've actually ever seen such poverty.They basically live in a one bedroom shack. There is only one bed, no kitchen or table.They live next to a polluted pond so it is not the greatest environment for someone who has HIV (malaria and all kinds of diseases).One of the boys now comes here everyday and has lunch here so we keep an eye on him and make sure he gets food.
Working with the women is fantastic: they are single mothers or have HIV (often as a result of the genocide) or come from poor broken homes with abusive husbands so it's really nice to spend time with them.They still remain positive about everything which is quite inspiring.
This weekend, another volunteer and me are planning to visit a memorial in Butare, southern Rwanda. Apparently it's pretty grim as the bodies have been preserved.I also found several genocide/conflict prevention centres around Kigali. They have great libraries and offer free lectures so I go there when I have some free time.
So this is basically what I do during the week.Lots of work but absolutely rewarding.
I'm very busy with work: sponsoring children, establishing a little library, organizing crafts and painting classes for the kids, teaching children, making baskets with the women and teach them some English, telling them and younger girls about gender-based violence and HIV, helping around at the organization's office...The days are full.I'm also planning on organizing a party/dinner for the kids and the women before I leave. Maybe even a football match if I can find a field.
I visited a woman the other who has HIV and currently has TB.She is extremely thin and stays at the hospital so her kids stay at home all day all by themselves (they can't afford the school fees and the father left). They are extremely poor.I don't think I've actually ever seen such poverty.They basically live in a one bedroom shack. There is only one bed, no kitchen or table.They live next to a polluted pond so it is not the greatest environment for someone who has HIV (malaria and all kinds of diseases).One of the boys now comes here everyday and has lunch here so we keep an eye on him and make sure he gets food.
Working with the women is fantastic: they are single mothers or have HIV (often as a result of the genocide) or come from poor broken homes with abusive husbands so it's really nice to spend time with them.They still remain positive about everything which is quite inspiring.
This weekend, another volunteer and me are planning to visit a memorial in Butare, southern Rwanda. Apparently it's pretty grim as the bodies have been preserved.I also found several genocide/conflict prevention centres around Kigali. They have great libraries and offer free lectures so I go there when I have some free time.
So this is basically what I do during the week.Lots of work but absolutely rewarding.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)