The present of Rwanda

I just read the whole article on Wikipedia about Rwanda and realized what an incredible history this country and region has.

For sure I’d like to know more about the reality of the country and I just realized that living in Kigali only is not representative for this country, almost 90 % of the population lives in rural areas and 60 % of the population under the poverty line. It’s hard to perceive these things when everyday I go around a large city with commercials of mobile companies and fancy drinks. Most of the times I eat I go for a buffet so all the people there can take as much food as they want and they actually do it, their plates are always topped.

Today this country is peaceful and calm, like after a storm I’d say … that quiet! I went to the Kigali Memorial Centre, a modern-equiped museum that tells the story of the Genocide that took the lives of 1 milion people in 1994 … I can’t really perceive how this could happen just 13 years ago in the country I am now travelling in. But 1994 was not the beginning and was not the end; other hundreds of thousands of people were killed before in Rwanda and Burundi (a country that shares a common history over the past century). Moreover, after 1994, around 3 milions were killed in the first and second wars in DR Congo involving Rwanda, Uganda, Angola and Zimbabwe – the backbone being the same for the events in Rwanda.

4-5 milion people died because of some foreigners’ decisions and policies implemented for Rwanda … how sad is that?!

Nowadays Rwanda is growing at a good rate and has just joined a regional union of East-African countries. In the meanwhile African countries are aiming for unity through the African Union which will bring member countries closer and closer. An Indian teacher also told me about Japan’s initiatives in Asia for a closer collaboration among Asian countries.

Rwandese people are said to be shy, respectful, calm and honest. The country is recognized for it’s low corruption and high involvement of women in the country’s affairs – 49 % of the Parliament’s members being women – the highest rate in the world!

There are so many more things to say from my experience here, I’d just like to thank you for reading until here! I am glad to share things about Rwanda with you, it’s a story we should all know and learn from.

I will soon post more … I am chairing their second national conference and next week I’ll be travelling around the country hopefully seeing vulcanos, beautiful lakes and wild animals in a national park.

10 days left …