IGIHE

Blog

  • Genocide Ideology a blemish on Rwanda’s psyche

    The word genocide needs to always be put into perspective to eliminate any iota of controversy regarding its execution. An we have had several of them carried out around the world incluing the Jesiwhs Holocaust, the Bosnian genocide and most recently here in Rwanda back in 1994. By definition, the word “Genocide” is the deliberate extermination of a racial, religious or ethnic group.

    It is mass murder deliberately planned and carried out by individuals, all of whom are responsible, whether they made the plan, gave the order or carried out the killings. In rwanda’s case, the genocide took place from 6th April 1994, where about one million people died in just 100 days. People who had been trained to massacre were members of the civilian death squad “Interhamwe” who used machetes and clubs to kill, maim, torture and rape their victims.

    The Genocide ideology had in Rwanda become so widespread and so quick .One of the major contributors to this was the media, the use of radio, as a means of spreading hatred amongst the people. (ignorance and illiteracy in most areas also did not help, leading people to believe what they were told.)

    Rwanda has come a long way from where it was and has come around in such ways and time that most cannot believe. Through sheer determination, perseverance, hard work, education, the people of Rwanda and its government are aiming in the right direction.

    One of the most important and challenging tasks the Rwandan government and its people had to (and still) face, is combating the genocide ideology. The Government set out policies and strategic actions to help with this. Through emphasising ways in which education and sensitisation on important issues such as rehabilitation, healing and reconciliation is crucial to achieving development goals, promoting programs, foundation, building a stronger, prosperous and secure future. Some of the organisations which have made remarkable progress with major results are still positive and working towards ensuring Rwanda’s continued success in combating genocide ideology.

    The National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) was created because of the atrocities that were committed. The commission is a national, independent and permanent institution which not only fights against the genocide ideology but also educates and helps people understand the history of Rwanda and what happened. It has three organs : a commissioner’s council, an executive secretariat, and an advisory council. The National Commission is working at fighting Genocide Ideology, helping in the healing and rehabilitation of the youth and the general poplation by educating them, holding events such as the genocide exhibition, held alongside the commemoration from 7th April to 13th,with some four other related activities which are to be launched, among others. CNLG also works with other organisations such as the Gacaca courtsand is also involved in dealing with testimonies, witnesses, perpetrators, prosecutors as well as survivors. 

    The Gacaca courts established in 2001 are one of the ways in which the trials of prisoners were dealt with. Their activities were carried out in three steps, including the collection of information relating to the genocide, categorising of persons prosecuted for having committed genocide or having played a role in different genocidal crimes, and the trial of cases falling under their competence (or jurisdiction).

    The Gacaca proceedings were recorded by the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda in Kinyarwanda (English transcripts and subtitles are available). Survivors and prisoners both get to testify and confess. Their contribution to the justice system was major in speeding up of the process and allowing for many trials, which would have never been completed.

     It is through organisations like these that we learn about the genocide ideology and their magnitude. It is also important to know how much of it has affected the people and educate them on the issue. Using communication and education, people can be given moral, psychological and practical support and succeed in halting the Genocide dogma.

    The Gacaca courts have faced immense challenges such as, dealing with the number of people accused of genocide and having to come up with a system to deliver fair and just trials. Time was definitely not on their side, if nothing was to be done right away, things could have worsened, neither were the conditions in which they had to keep the accused in prisons too overcrowded, where prisoners of all sorts of criminals, from petty one to full scale psychopaths would be locked together. The emotions and trauma of the people was still extremely high and raw. The people were also in tension and conflict with each other. Those are but a few of the challenges they had to bear in mind. With very little universal help and a new government just in place, the Gacaca courts had immense goals to reach.

    Despite the obstacles and especially criticism from all over the world by human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights watch, which claimed that the Gacaca courts were not up to international standards to deliver fair trails, they the courts managed to fulfill a vital truth function in pursuit of justice.

    They handled what others could not especially by helping people to openly participate as fairly as possible. They gave a survivor a chance to tell what happened and demand his or her right to justice against the perpetrators as the latter confessed and told their side of the story. the courts also helped many Rwandans to open their eyes and ears, come together in order to heal, reconcile and join forces to build their country.

  • Rwanda becomes first African country to provide free cervical cancer vaccination

    Rwandan girls aged 12 to 15 years have become the first in Africa to receive free vaccination against cervical cancer, while older women aged 35 to 45 will be screened and treated for the same.

    The initial three year comprehensive integrated cervical cancer prevention programme will be facilitated by MERCK, a research institute, which came up with the vaccine. the institute will work closely with QIAGEN staff who will conduct screening services in order to offer treatment among those affected.

    Speaking shortly after launching the campaign at Kanyinya Primary School in Nyarugenge District, the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, noted that Rwanda was proud to be the first African country to roll out free Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination for girls and screening for women. This is unlike other African countries where the vaccine is unaffordable to the majority due to high costs.

    She further advised that in order for children to maintan a high immune system, it was necessary for them to be immunised three times within a period of six months. Parents and teachers were also encouraged to report any cases of side effects the children might develop. The effects include mild headache, nausea and skin rash. 

    Reacting on the issue, Agnes Binagwaho the permanent secretary in the ministry of health commended the initiative adding that it was helpful since out of the 2.72 million women aged 15 years and older are at a risk of developing cervical cancer

    Mark Feinberg, the Chief Public Health and Science Officer at Merck Vaccines highlighted that his institution would donate more than 2 million doses of GARDASIL (vaccine) while QIAGEN would provide 250,000 Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV) screening tests at no cost.

    Over 80 percent of cervical cancer cases occur in the world’s poorest countries, having a severe impact on the women affected, their families and communities. The program is expected to provide access to a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention to help reduce the burden of disease and improve public health outcomes and capacity in the country.

    If treated earlier, the cervical cancer can be completely cured, hence the need for earlier prevention.. The vaccine is appropriate for girls who are still virgins since the virus is passed through sexual intercourse.

     Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. Scientists have identified several types of the HPV virus though not all can cause cervical cancer.

    Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms. However the most common signs include bleeding when something comes in contact with the cervix. This leads to pain during sex which is a common feeling that later develops to vaginal discharge tinged with blood.

    An infected person can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for Rwandans to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer. 

  • “Be innovative”-PS urges artisans

    The permanent secretary in the ministry of Trade and Industry Emmanuel Hategeka has challenged artists to be creative and innovative in order to compete in the international market.

    He made the remarks during celebrations to mark the World Intellectual Property Day at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kigali, yesterday. The theme of the celebration was “Designing the Future”. The event brought together stakeholders in Intellectual Property, to take stock of the progress made so far and discuss strategies for further measures to meet their goals.

    Hategeka further appealed to the artistes to register their product designs and trademarks with the Rwanda Development Board to help safeguard their intellectual property rights, adding that statistics availed by RDB indicated low registration of copyrights and patent rights.

    The Registrar General at RDB Louise Kanyonga said that the registration of copyrights, trademarks and industrial designs was free so as to encourage more traders, artisans, writers to register and gain from their innovations.

    Recently, the government enacted the new Intellectual Property Law and Policy to protect artistic work form counterfeiting and piracy. The law highlights the industrial law that deals with trade marks, patent rights, industrial designs, utility models and geographical investments.

    During the event, many of the participants highlighted problems they endure in carrying out their activities including counterfeiting and piracy, claiming that the industry had not protected and recognised their efforts thus leading to unsustainable development.

    Rwandan artistes recently formed an artistes association known as the Rwanda Society of Authors (RSAU) to ensure protection of their intellectual property and enforce dignity. The association was formed to bring artistes together and protect them against copyright infringement and piracy.

    The association has come up with regulations and anyone contravening the regulations would be punishable by law. According to the association, anyone infringing an author’s patent right will be charged a fine ranging from 50 million to 500 million or sentenced five years imprisonement. The association will also be in charge of selling all forms of arts produced by its members.

    In addition, anyone wishing to buy a product would be required to buy them through the body. This means that radio and television stations would be banned from using any material produced by the members without prior consent of the association. Such institutions will have to have prior consent of the body before playing any songs on air.

    However, some artistes raised fear that radio and television stations would not buy their songs, and this would make them resort to playing international music.

    “If we sell our songs to these radios and television stations, they will not buy them but will play other songs from regional and international musicians since they get them freely,” a local singer, Mako Nikoshwa observed.

    The president of the RSAU, Epa Binamungu reassured the artistes that everything concerning music and other forms of artisan works, either from the country or beyond would have to be supplied by the association at an agreed cost. He reiterated that no one else would obtain them without RSAU’s consent.

    In a related development, Binamungu said that the day was important for artistes, composers and authors, to come together and reflect on what we should do to ensure that our properties and rights are protected so that we can benefit from them

    “We earn a living out of our composition and creations, so if we don’t have strict enforcement of copyright laws, we will continue losing not only financial resources but also our rights to our properties,” he added.

    Binamungu, however, said that the government had shown commitment to protect intellectual properties especially through the enactment of the new law as well the crackdown by the Rwanda National Police (RNP) on individuals pirating intellectual property.

  • Joy as Rwandan refugees from Congo Brazzaville meet their families

    Representatives of Rwandan refugees living in Congo Brazzaville last week met their families in Rwanda, 17 years, after the Tutsi Genocide that dragged them into exile. The visit is part of a wider government program to sensitise all the refugees to return home and take part in the development of their country.

    Mrs. Afisa Murebwayire, who is part of the group of four refugees, visited her family in Ruhango Sector, Muhanga District in southern Rwanda.

    She was excited and said she has been receiving false information about Rwanda but after the visit, she has a clear picture of the changes the country has undergone.

    She said she would encourage other Rwandan refugees in Brazzaville to return home. Her father was equally emotional and shed tears of joy when he saw his daughter. “I’m happy,” he told IGIHE.com in an emotional tone.

    Murebwayire’s young sister Marie Shantal Kagoyire stays in Kibungo, East of Rwanda but she had returned home to see her elder sister. They were both elated. Kayogiye asked her sister to sensitise other Rwandan refugees to return home.

    More Rwandan refugees continue to visit their families to witness how safe the country is.

    This could lead to better understanding of why they should return, according to government officials.

    Families of some refugees have also requested them to return saying that the country is safe and is developing so fast.

    Jean Claude Rwahama, an official from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees commented, “Rwandans in Diaspora get false information about the country but those who visit will always tell the truth since they get first hand information”.

  • Kizito’s concert attracts huge crowd

    Kizito Mihigo, one of the most celebrated Rwandan singers saw an overwhelming turn up of fans for his music concert. The concert held at Expo Grounds in Kigali during the Easter weekend attracted a host of senior government officials and a multitude of youth.

    Kizito organised the concert to deliver a message of peace, unity and reconciliation among Rwandans and also used the concert as a fundraiser towards his peace foundation, Kizito Mihigo for Peace (KMP).

    During the concert, Mihigo entertained his fans with songs such as Twanze Gutoberwa Amateka, one of his latest releases.

    Local artists Sgt Robert, Eric Senderi, Tonzi, Patric Nyamitari and comedian and actress Mukarujanga also performed.

    Kizito commented, “I’m pleased that my message is given mostly to the youth because they are the future leaders.”

    Kizito, a Genocide Survivor is 29 years old, studied music in Europe.

  • Learning from the past: Building the future

    Many people flock to the motivational and inspiring Kigali Genocide Memorial, operated by Aegis Trust. What many don’t learn on their visit is that there is an educational program running on this site that draws youth from around the country. Igihe.com’s Fiona Gasana learned about the educational experience when interviewing Mr. Jean Nepo Ndahimana, an education officer in Aegis Rwanda’s educational program that is delivered at Kigali Genocide Memorial. 

     IGIHE.com : What is the education program ?

    Mr. Ndahimana : The Aegis Education Program at Kigali Genocide Memorial provides secondary school students a one-day workshop experience. Our program is called ‘learning from the past : Building the future. The program provides an overview of Rwandan history related to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, including a tour of the exhibitions at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The program also provides a global perspective on genocide using various examples of genocide around the world to explore the causes of genocide and ways of prevention. Finally, the program looks forward, with a focus on critical thinking, problem resolution, working together to build trust among the Rwandans, all of these to achieve social cohesion.

    What is your correlation with the genocide memorial sites ?

     Currently the education program is delivered by Aegis only at the Kigali Genocide Memorial although there are plans to expand the program into all regions of the country and possibly across the borders. Our neighbouring countries have lessons to learn from Rwanda in order to prevent genocide. Visits to regional memorial sites could be incorporated into that outreach program.

    Could you tell us when the education program was put into action and whether it is a permanent program ? 

    The program began in January 2009 and is a permanent program of Aegis Rwanda.

    What are the main purposes of the genocide education ?

    The future of any society depends on its ability to understand and reconcile with its past. Education that provides an opportunity for young Rwandans to learn about their history in a safe and structured manner ; education that supports the values and skills necessary for an inclusive future ; and education that inspires, makes a significant contribution towards peace and security.

    What are the goals and objectives of the education program ? 

    The goal of this program is to focus on social cohesion for the Rwandan society. This is done by fostering values and behaviors that lead to a unified Rwanda. Genocide education explores the past with the hope that a deepened understanding will lead to a Rwandan in which such an event can never again occur.

    Who are the people responsible for creating and sponsoring the educational program ? 

    Credit for this program must be given to Aegis Trust but this program would not be possible without funding by DFID and CIDA. Aegis also developed the exhibitions currently on display at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, manages the Kigali Genocide Memorial site, hosts the Genocide Archive of Rwanda, and has a social program that assists orphan and widow genocide survivors. 

    Which organs do you work with to ensure you fulfill your goals and how do you collaborate ? What roles do these partners play in helping the centre achieve its goals ?

    We operate independently, but with much support within all levels of the educational sector. For example MINEDUC and CNLG are fully supporting our program. Very important to our success is the interest amongst school districts and headmasters in bringing their students to the program. Every year we host information sessions for chosen school districts, after which the headmasters sign on to bring a class. It is this commitment from the school officials that makes it possible for us to achieve our goal.

     Who are the members of the educational team and what are their duties ?

    We have two qualified secondary teachers who deliver the program in the classroom, and are also responsible for the day-to-day administrative tasks required to keep the program going. The educational team also includes the Country Director of Aegis Rwanda, Freddy Mutanguha who himself has a background in education and the CEO of Aegis Trust, James Smith to oversee the program and advise in education regarding prevention of crimes against humanity. 

    The youth of Rwanda are the future of the country. How do you think they benefit from the education program ?

    The students are of the opinion that this is a program that is of benefit to everyone. By following the program they acquire knowledge and skills about the past of their country and help them to take their own responsibility at early age to shape their future and build a much more cohesive Rwandan society. They repeatedly suggest an expansion of the program, mentioning that it should be available to all the students in their school, to youth not attending school, to parents, and all other parts of society, including prisoners. They say that they learn things about their history that they didn’t know and that they feel more able to talk about this with others. One of our students said, “You are sensitising people to have the willingness to build the Rwandan community.” As mentioned earlier, the sessions are of one day in length and I think some of the activities have also been described. I could add that we also have counsellors on our staff, who prepare the youth for their visit to the genocide exhibition and conduct debriefing activities afterwards.

    Could you tell us if any of the students have personally benefited from any of the centres program ?

    Of course we have many examples of students who tell us how they have personally benefited from this program, one student for example told us that he wished he could have the opportunity to bring his mother to the centre, because the history he learnt at home about the genocide was very biased and ill informed compared to the teaching he receives here at the centre.

    How will the centre be working with schools ?

     Once the headmasters have signed up for the program, the school goes through a process of choosing students. Because space is limited, the expectation is that senior students with some leadership experience are given this opportunity on the understanding that they will take what they have learned and share with others.

    How is the education program helpful resource to the national curriculum ? 

    The education program is a resource that enables schools to provide an opportunity to focus on genocide education. Delivering the program at a memorial site and with the exhibitions as a resource, provides an opportunity not only for the students but for the accompanying teachers and head teachers who then are more equipped to address these issues in their classrooms.

    Could you elaborate on how the program helps in the development of the civic education curriculum ? 

    Civic education in Rwanda teaches children from a very young age that in order to have a peaceful nation, a country must first acknowledge its history both past and present and learn how the atrocities that happened here in 1994 can be prevented from ever happening again. However, I must say again our program sits besides the national curriculum but is not integrated into it. We are planning also to develop an outreach program that will provides in-service training to teachers with the hope that it will provide the sensitisationand the skills for them to be as effective as possible in teaching curriculum related to genocide and social cohesion.

    How does the education program contribute to peace and reconciliation in Rwanda ?

    By educating these students we are building a stronger and wiser generation in our country. These students will be the ones to make sure their country maintains peace and unity and reconciliation. We make a contribution by raising awareness about the consequences of exclusion and division with the objective to encourage social cohesion and reconciliation in order to prevent the most extreme version of exclusion Genocide.

    Recently, a case was reported of a man claiming that the people were not responsible for the genocide instead claiming this should have been apportioned on the Habyarimana establishment. How do you deal with instances of genocide denial like this ?

     We make an appeal to our students to open their minds to our history and to open their hearts to each other. We also focus on critical thinking – encouraging the students to think for themselves what they hear about the past and what they hear in the present – and we also hold a value on individual responsibility for actions.

    What challenges do you encounter ?

    Financial challenges are large to keep this program running and to insure its expansion. Also, it’s a challenge for schools to have funds to bring the students here.

    How successful has the program been up to this day, Could you name some of the achievements the education program has successfully implemented since it began ?

    Since the first classes in January 2009 we have had more than 5000 students come and we are fully booked for the upcoming academic term. The daily evaluations are always positive, with comments on the respect with which every student is received, on a welcoming environment and on how important the class was for them. In the last term of this year we are implementing a follow-up evaluation and we look forward to measure what has been the impact of this program in terms of social cohesion and trust among the students and we are expecting to complete this evaluation by the end of the year.

  • Upcoming Rwandan artists speak about their future

    Rwanda’s music industry continues to flourish with more youngsters joining the stage to take the industry to a higher level. IGIHE.com’s Dianah Mutimura spoke to some upcoming local artists about their dream, the music industry, and challenges it faces. Below are the excerpts.

    Joliss Peace
    He is a 20-year old singer currently in senior six at Don Bosco, a high school in Eastern Province. His stage name is Joliss Peace but his fans call him ‘Peace’. Joliss wants to be famous and he is determined to take the local music industry to the next level. As a student, he says his main challenge is to combine studying and singing but he loves both.

    His love for music dates back in his childhood. He says when he was young ; he used to attend concerts with his mother, something that increased his interests for music.

    In primary six, Joliss started writing songs and he named his first song ‘Mpamagara’ meaning ‘call me. The song was released last year and became a hit. Tigo, a mobile company is now using it a caller tune. Joliss believes that the local media industry has a role to promote
    the music industry. This could be done by playing local songs on the
    radio stations.

    Life
    Life is a new group, which emerged early this year. It is composed of two young male singers Serge Gatsinzi and Audace Willy Mucyo. Serge is known for his song ‘Mbwire iki umukunzi, and Amapingo y’Urukundo. Local radio stations play these songs often.

    Before forming the group, Gatsinzi and Mucyo were friends and created the group ‘life’ after realizing that they shared passion for music.

    They have so far recorded their first single ‘Ndibaza’ and they are currently working on their second song expected to be released next month.

    Unlike Mucyo, Gatsinzi plays guitar. He says he has played guitar for the past 12 years. “I’m so in love with the guitar”.

    On the other hand, Mucyo is a songwriter and a dancer. He says he is currently on a level where he can teach dancing. He sings in hip-hop style. The group has worked with Producer Nicolas, the owner of Bridge Record, based in Kigali and is currently working with Lick Lick, the leading producer in Rwanda who owns Unlimited Record.

    Life believes that the local music industry should be valued like other sectors and this could help develop it.

  • Government to put up cultural centre

    The government has announced plans to build a national cultural centre in Gahanga sector, Kicukiro district with construction works scheduled to start next year.

    The national cultural centre will be equipped with a library, stage performing theatre, movie theatre and exhibition stalls to display cultural products among others.

    “This will not only be a national theatre but a one stop cultural centre since it will be equipped with different cultural materials,” Jean Pierre Karabaranga, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Sports revealed.

    “At a moment, we cannot tell how long this process will take because the study is not yet done,” the Permanent Secretary explained, adding that once the construction process starts, it would not take long to be accomplished since it has been one of the major projects earmarked on the ministry’s seven year plan.

    The ministry observed that it was imperative to have such cultural centrers hence the plan to have at least one well equipped centre. He added that this was the first time the proposal featured in the ministry’s action plan.

    “We were not taking it as a big issue because we thought people would use other centres but we have now found it is necessary,” Karabaranga said.

    For many stage performers, it has been challenging since they had no special place to execute their activities which forced them to hire halls in private institution’s halls, which at times would either be too small, booked for other functions or too expensive to rent.

    “Most of the time, our performances are commissioned by other institutions and this is not because, we cannot have self-sponsored performances and deliver good and interesting messages to the people, but it’s because we have no facility specifically for such performances and this hinders our popularity and development,” Hope Azeda, Mashirika’s founder and Artistic Director told IGIHE.com in an interview.

    With the acting and the theatre scene still embryonic, few professional groups have managed to survive and this has led to slow progress of performing arts in the country.

    The Managing Director, Urunana Development Community, George Gahenda reiterated that lack of a cultural centre was a big hindrance towards their development, though they had tried to rectify the problem by moving to the local communities to deliver their message besides conducting radio shows. 

  • Job market in need of vocational skills

    A rush for white-collar jobs has led many to be unemployed simply because they believe its fancy and well paying yet vocational skills are in high demand perhaps due to the robust economic growth in the country.

    Even though there are few vocational institutions presently, there is still low interest in the sector among the majority. It seems people have not grasped the advantages. Similar skills are associated with illiterate people, which is rather a misnomer.

    It is due to this wrong mindset that the youth who are the most affected by lack of employment ; need to be encouraged on vocational skills while still in college. In neighbouring countries like Kenya and Uganda, this concept has attracted people to vocational training institutions as a lucrative option after high school, rather than institutions of high school failures.

    This also goes hand in hand with career guidance which should be provided at early stages of a students learning with general emphasis on the market demand for vocational skills and knowledge thus enabling students to determine and make better career choices. 

    Applied skills including carpentry and joinery, building, brick making, computer repair, auto mechanics, biogas construction, electrical installation, plumbing, creative art and crafts, etc are on high demand in the Rwandan market currently experiencing a construction boom including complementary services.

     However, the country’s youth have not realised the unequalled demand for vocational skills since most of them and their parents prefer direct entry into university after high school to pursue degrees despite their usefulness in the market thereafter.

    It also due to the wrong mindset that guardians continue to privately sponsor their children to study for expensive but spurious university degrees leaving their children unemployable in the competitive job market.

    Although the government has recently been encouraging the youth to join vocational institutions, the idea is not attractive to them. Acquiring a university degree is more appealing to both the youth and their parents.

    However, with a few vocational institutions like Kavumu Technical College and Eto Muhima, there is still a challenge on learning equipment hence the need for more modern facilities and harmonisation of training standards with those in the region while encouraging accreditation and exchange programs with international institutions.

    Cultural attitudes on the other hand are a huge impediment towards encouraging female youths to take up training in specific traditionally male biased vocation schools including carpentry, construction, electrical installation, para-veterinary, auto mechanics among others.

     Certainly, more female students should be encouraged to join vocational institutions to help improve their employability thus increase their self-reliance and standards of living. This would also discourage demeaning female dominated vocations including prostitution.

    Meanwhile, the privatisation era has overhauled operations in the entire market systems and required basic knowledge and skills. This calls for addition of new modules and subjects in the college and university syllabus to ensure production of graduates with skills compliant with the market demands. 

    Specific subjects including mathematics, environmental management, entrepreneurship and research and principle vocational subjects such as carpentry, plumbing, technical drawing, cookery, agribusiness, among others should be included into mainstream college syllabus.

    High school graduates with the above knowledge and skills will be more productive especially in applying such highly needed skills and knowledge in the undeveloped countryside market. Their ability to create jobs is so high thus could help in quick social economic transformation of the society unlike university graduates that are mostly job seekers.

    The country’s industrialisation program should be quickly implemented to encourage attractiveness of skills training at vocational institutions .building a rice factory for instance in a particular village, the accruing demand for services including accommodation, restaurants, shops, transport, welding, building, hair salons among others, will be handy and thus encourage the youth to acquire relevant vocational skills.

    Equipping the youth with vocational skills would easily curb rural-urban migration challenges. Youth with such skills can easily operate from their rural areas, achieve more financial independence and reduce on poverty related problems experienced in the rural areas.

    However, the government needs to create a more conducive environment that promotes small and medium enterprises common in markets with abundant vocational skills. The laws on starting business and taxes on such businesses need to be carefully considered to encourage entrepreneurship.

    Supportive infrastructure especially electricity, roads and water should be expanded to the deeper countryside to encourage projects established by youths with such skills. The current unattractiveness of vocational institutions is largely due to inadequate infrastructure in the rural countryside.

    The few youths with vocational skills find it challenging to establish projects and businesses in the countryside largely lacking electricity, roads and other support infrastructure. This situation forces them to migrate to urban centres where such infrastructure is available and dependable. 

    Finally, if Rwanda heeds to the proper development and expansion of vocational institutions, a large percentage of the country’s youth would improve their innovativeness, increase financial independence, reduce unemployment and thus boost the private sector. There should be an overhaul of the country’s education system through emphasising vocational skills training and making it appealing to the youth while at high school and establishing supportive infrastructure. 

  • Culture, a nation’s identity

    Culture is one of the indices that signify personal and natural identity. I could not think of a better description of the word ‘culture’ than those of Walter Rodney, a prominent Guyanese historian and political activist who said,“Culture is a total way of life, it embraces what people ate and what they wore, the way they walked and the way they talked, the manner in which they treated death and the way they greeted newborns”.

    I concur with Walter Rodney as I am sure many of you do too. But the question has risen on the minds of many of the youth today, as to how our cultural values and morals can coincide with today’s constant changing economic, political but mostly social status. We all agree that Rwanda was a very different country ten years ago and will be even more so in next ten years. The futuristic destination of our country is quite the same as the rest of our neighboring nations (maybe even a little more) both at home in Africa, as well as, abroad in developing countries, but the cultures and traditional values remain the same.

    Let us look at examples such as India, a former British colony, which is now has one of the biggest movie industries in the world after the U.S, producing over 1000 movies per year. Today, the movie industry has helped India’s economy grow by 50 percent to 60 percent. The film industry in India though, still has a clear understanding and respect of its moral obligation in respecting and keeping the country’s cultural values alive. If you have ever watched a Hindu movie, you can clearly see their cultural and moral beliefs portrayed all over the screen ; there is no nudity, no kissing. The portrayal of a true and virtuous Indian woman is captured showing a man attempting to woo a woman but she will not be screened with him alone without a chaperon, until the day she is married. 

    Many of these traditions are still being practised today, even though the way they dress is more modern and their ideas towards educating women has dramatically changed over the last decade. Many of their thousand years old cultural values and traditions have remained, the most commonly known in India is arranged marriages. The same goes to China where a thousand year old traditions are still being practised everywhere and every day. They uphold their culture starting from their amazing calligraphy that cannot be imitated anywhere else in the world. When tourists go to China, they go there hoping to see the Great Wall of China among other different cultural attractions. I doubt people go all the way across the globe to experience the latest Nokia phone.

    I decided to start with these examples to explain to our youth that despite living in the 21th century, we ought to keep our old traditions and cultural values alive while still being very much a part of today’s society.

    From the earliest inhabitants of Rwanda, who were hunters and gatherers, ouor rich culture plays a major role in our tourism sector today. Many of the tourists, who visit Rwanda every year always remember the ‘intore’ dancers since that is what they want to see the most. The dance touches on different aspects like keeping our culture alive, teaching us how our ancestors would prepare for hunting or prepare for battle among others. It also depicts the story of their bravery and excellent skills. In our culture, traditional gatherers would gather cow dung to build their hut. This culture has not died either. In fact, when you walk into various arts and craft shops, restaurants, cafes and homes, you will notice that paintings made from cow dung are sold not only in Rwanda, but across the globe.

    The same goes for the weaving of baskets which has now become a great source of revenue for Rwandan women who were victims of the genocide. These baskets come with new meaning and importance without losing its old cultural meaning. Rwandans called them ‘Agaseke’ and they still carry the name today. The only difference is that since the genocide, they have come to be known as ‘Baskets of Peace’ because women of various ethnic backgrounds can come together and weave baskets together as one people.

    I believe that every time tourists arrive in Rwanda and experience all the above, they have not only experienced a new and improved Rwanda, which is currently up to speed with all of society’s latest trends and futuristic dreams.

    Beyond this, they also leave with a clear, beautiful and realistic image of where Rwanda is truly from, what it is about, how we live, our beliefs and traditions, our moral integrity and most importantly our cultural history.