Under the guidance of our tradesman and our Boss Pierre (the Mayor) our team helped build the columns and walls for the Covaga Kitchen. We learned to break stones, make bricks, carry bricks, make mortar and carry mortar. Kim, Brenda and Chris picked a column then a wall and started building. Mike and Faran jumped on bicycles with their kids as helpers and rode to the nearest slough for water, complete with tadpoles! When it started raining so hard we were able to fill all of the containers and a make a shift pool, all in aide of making mortar with Vincent our local tradesman cement man, singer, dancer and youth worker. Jess and Hasti worked steadily on the back curved wall and were lifting the blocks higher and higher as the wall progressed. Jen spent much of her time helping tradesman Thomas (Fresh) keeping him supplied with cement while at the same time answering all of everyone’s questions. I helped tradesman Edward and hauled bricks to various stations. None of us were afraid to have some fun and take a break to photograph the kids, or play some games. Cedric, our guide and interpreter worked with us building, interpreting and teaching us culture and having fun. We all worked hard as a team with the tradesman and are happy to have accomplished so much in two weeks but we are also sad to be leaving our new friends including the tradesman, the children and all of the wonderful weavers at the Covaga Innovation Center. Next project … Building the roof!!!!
Russ Carmichael
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
October 22: "Umuganda" and Weaving
Today was our 2nd week of work on our community project at the Covaga Innovation Centre in Gashora. But enriching our experience today was a ½ day of Government initiated “umuganda” community service that occurs once every month in the district. On this day the entire community pitches in to work on roads, fields and anything else to benefit the residents of the community.
This was the most amazing experience, because we had the opportunity to work with everyone in town! Women, children and men alike, all sharing tools and working side by side. Members of other cooperatives, Government workers, shop owners, families and everything in between. I would like to see this activity at home – a chance for the community to come together, learn from each others skill sets and to find out who our neighbors are. Rwanda may not be a developing country after all!
Today we also had the opportunity to try our hand at weaving, thanks to the wonderful, talented weavers at the Covaga Co-op. Braiding and weaving headbands, flip flops, baskets and some things we're not even sure what they were to start! It amazes me that these women, some of them in their 50s and 60s, sit on the floor hunched over their projects for hours on end every day, without any ill effects, and then jump to their feet to sing and dance.
The remainder of the day included lunch (shockingly, rice, beans and potato again – but today a new feature – baked sweet potato) while getting to know my fellow travelers and another ½ day of working on the Covaga kitchen walls. Team work abounds between the Rwandan skilled workers we work with, the Covaga co-op members, the children and the DWC volunteers. I’m continually amazed by the fact that it matters not what language we speak – somehow we’re able to laugh, learn and build together towards a common goal. It’s a small world.
Brenda Garcia
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
October 21: Friendly faces and amazing animals
Well, we begin week 2 tomorrow in Gashora! We will be starting with the brick work on the walls now that the rock columns are finished. It is very exciting to see the progress we have been making over the last week. So many friendly faces in Gashora and every other place we have visited. We also got to meet some of the people that live around the medical center project being built in Kazo today. Everywhere we go they welcome us with open arms and friendly smiles. Such an amazing place…we also went on safari today and saw baboons, hippos, giraffes and many other amazing animals. Can’t wait to see what this week has in store for us!
Mike Baillie
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
Mike Baillie
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
October 17: Pea soup!
Today we had pea soup. It was a very welcome change as we have grown tired of the usual rice, beans and potato wedges. Though peas have been readily available throughout our stay in Rwanda, having them in liquid form caused an excitement at the dinner table! Aside from the food, the constant supply of 0.0% Bavaria beer has kept my spirits afloat. Working on the New kitchen at Covaga has been cool too :)
Faran Mahboubi
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
October 15: An eye-opening and heart warming start
The past few days have been eye-opening and heart warming. After landing in Kigali, we visited the genocide museum, which was emotional and difficult. But it was informative, and we learned so much about the history of genocide in Rwanda, and throughout the world. It was inspiring to see how Rwanda is dedicated to moving forward and healing as a nation.
Our group is an amazing bunch, and we have bonded in such a short time. We are all open to this experience and after spending the afternoon visiting the Covaga Centre, we have seen firsthand the efforts of past teams and the great work they have done. We viewed the weaving boutique and the amazing women who are working hard at their craft to help earn money for their families. We will begin work on the kitchen tomorrow which will serve as a training center where locals can learn not only how to compost and dry their harvest, but prepare it as well. This is part of the nutrition initiative that was started by the Western Washington University students. The collaborative efforts are apparent everywhere.
After walking back to our hotel, we held many children’s hands and their warm smiles and innocence made us laugh. Faran was a star with the children, teaching them rap music and having marathon races in the village. It was an incredible experience to connect with the children, who were clearly thrilled at us “muzungos”.
I can only imagine what the next 2 weeks will bring. To think that last week I was standing in my kitchen and unhappy with my kitchen counter tops, to being here and realizing how important our efforts are! I can’t wait to start mixing some concrete and building walls which will be the structure for the kitchen. There is no question that this trip is life changing, rewarding, and unforgettable!
Kim Hotzon
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
Our group is an amazing bunch, and we have bonded in such a short time. We are all open to this experience and after spending the afternoon visiting the Covaga Centre, we have seen firsthand the efforts of past teams and the great work they have done. We viewed the weaving boutique and the amazing women who are working hard at their craft to help earn money for their families. We will begin work on the kitchen tomorrow which will serve as a training center where locals can learn not only how to compost and dry their harvest, but prepare it as well. This is part of the nutrition initiative that was started by the Western Washington University students. The collaborative efforts are apparent everywhere.
After walking back to our hotel, we held many children’s hands and their warm smiles and innocence made us laugh. Faran was a star with the children, teaching them rap music and having marathon races in the village. It was an incredible experience to connect with the children, who were clearly thrilled at us “muzungos”.
I can only imagine what the next 2 weeks will bring. To think that last week I was standing in my kitchen and unhappy with my kitchen counter tops, to being here and realizing how important our efforts are! I can’t wait to start mixing some concrete and building walls which will be the structure for the kitchen. There is no question that this trip is life changing, rewarding, and unforgettable!
Kim Hotzon
DWC Participant
Rwanda, October 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
July 23: Safari Adventure
On Sunday we headed out to Akagera game park on safari. Lama's cousin Billy arranged 2 Land Rovers for us with drivers. It took about 2 hours there and back and we spent about 4 hours inside. We saw lots of zebras, impalas, taupies, water buck, water buffalo and a few giraffes. We even saw a baby giraffe and some baboons but the latter were a bit shy and ran away from us. The highlight seemed to be the hippos. One female came entirely out of the water and was walking on land. She tolerated us taking photos of her for a while before returning to her pond. It was a long, hot dirty day with not much in the way of washroom facilities but we had a great time.
Maria
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
July 22: An emoitional day
We officially left Gashora today. In our way back o Kigali, we stopped at Nyamata. Nyamata is a genocide memorial. It was originally a church. During the genocide, the Tutsis often sought protection in churches. However, priests and other heads of church were infamous because they would call out to the Tutsis and say things like "come here, you'll be safe, we'll protect you" and then as soon as the churches were up to capacity, they would call over the Hutus and the Hutus would come and there would literally be massacres in these churches. Churches were a place for Tutsis to die. Hutus would climb to the roof and open fired down onto the Tutsis, they would throw grenades through the windows and after the smoke cleared and the bullets stopped, they entered the churches to finish off the survivors and the wounded. The church we visited had the bullet holes still in the tin roof and the clothes of the deceased hung over the church benches. In the center of the church, there were stairs that led downstairs where there was a huge glass case with some of the skulls and other leg and arm bones organized and displayed for us to see. It was rather gruesome. To think that this happened in a church. It's more than a disappointment in humanity. Out the back of the church we're mass graves and more crypts with coffins piled high. Everything was draped with purple and white cloth. These were the colors of remembrance.
"How can you still claim to be Christian after all of this?" was Lisa's comment on the priests and so on who fronted protection and allowed the Tutsis to be killed. Man, woman, children - there were no exceptions.
After leaving the memorial site, we headed into Kigali. On the way, I was processing the experience and thought to myself "how could something so ugly, so hideous, happen in a place so breath-takingly beautiful?". Then I thought about how far Rwanda has come as a country, how much it has developed. I think rwanda's strength is what makes the country so beautiful. They had gone through atrocities but yet, now their healthcare systems exceed those of many other countries in Africa. It's an incredible thing. Ask any one of our team member about it, they'll tell you the same. The dedication of Rwanda's people to make their country a better place is amazing. They don't want to be known for the genocide. It's nicknamed the country of a thousand hills, not the country who was destroyed by genocide. It's true, rwanda suffered greatly from the genocide but the development since then completely overpowers their loss.
On our way to Kigali, I saw a couple interesting billboards that show rwanda's development. There was one sign that read "there is no room for corruption in Rwanda" and another that had pictures of condoms, promoting contraception. Rwanda is trying to go against the stereotype of Africa being corrupt and trying to promote family planning. These two things are very important.
TTAA time!
1. The dirt roads: some people get nauseous because of the super bumpy dirt roads, but I love them. I enjoy the hour-long bus ride from Gashora to Kigali not only because of the scenery but because of the dirt smell. The dust that is kicked up by the bus wheels smells like Africa. It's the greatest.
2. Hand-painted signs: if you look closely at the signs on brick walls in front of stores, you'll see that they're actually hand painted. How they get it so neat, I have no idea. I cant even draw a straight line to save my life. They're so good that you'd think that they're printed.
3. Rolling hills in Rwanda: if you're looking to fall in love, come to Rwanda. I have visited three times, and every time, I fall in love all over again.
My guest star today is Heather. She will be putting in her two cents later tonight. Now, we just came back from the genocide museum. I had been there already before, but I went in again anyways because there were particular rooms that I wanted to spend some time in. My father says this was my third time, I only remember this being my second time... Anyways, I skipped all of the fine print story-telling and headed to the picture rooms. There were two picture rooms: one with the adults, the other with children. In the adult room, photographs of lost loved ones were hanging clothesline style off of the walls. This way, you could touch the photos and flip them over as some of them had messages written on the backs. There was a projector in the room which showed a film featuring survivors and what they remembered about family they had lost. I watched the whole thing once before going to each wall to look at the pictures. I sat there trying to remember their faces. I found myself moving the photos along the wire so that the covered ones could be clearly seen instead of being hidden behind others. I felt like their faces needed to be seen. They had such beautiful faces. Some of the photographs were sometimes so blurred that you could barely see the picture, others were worn, torn and stained. Some of these photographs given by surviving family members were the only photos they had of their loved ones. I went around the entire room repeating the same thing: sit down, stare, remember, fix, stare, remember... I did the same in the room with the photos of the children who were brutally murdered during the genocide. There is a very powerful and incredibly depressing part of the museum which is exhibited at the end of the museum. It is comprised of several rooms with very large pictures of individual children. In front of these portraits, there are plaques with the names, something like their favorite food or favorite toy, and the last line would describe how they were murdered. There is incredible shock value here and it really breaks your heart. To see these children, one of which was 15 months when they were killed, and their smiles and the little things that helps get to know them.... And then reading how they were killed.... It's very depressing... It makes me angry just to think about it.
M
Hey guys, it's heather again! First off....my bags came!!! Both of them, at the same time :) ok now on to the important stuff.....we found a burger joint for lunch. Mr Chips. If you are every in Kigali, and missing home this is the place to go! Burgers, fries, and yes, chicken strips! I think this was the first bit of meat I have had all week. After we ate we head to the genocide memorial, but not before seeing 5 wedding parties pass by as we wait for the cab. They had a videographer standing in the bed of a truck filming the "limo", which was a more fancy car with tool and flowers wrapped around it. Weddings are a huge deal here in Rwanda, so spending a few years salary on them. Ahhhh, tradition.
Now on to the tough stuff, and Mali did an awesome job of bringing what we saw to life. I'm not going to lie, I am having trouble writing this today. What you see in the museum is real. Seeing the movies, reading books, does not even begin to tell the story of what happened here. Seeing the photos as she mentioned, and putting actual faces to the stories, is something I will never forget. The genocide happened....over 2 million people died in 100 days, 100 tutsis every 20 mins....almost 20 years ago, but this country is resilient. They know there history and it will remain with them forever, but they forgive. Amazingly, they forgive. I truly believe that is a big reason for their progressive recovery, making it one of the most successful countries in Africa.
Once we completed the tour, we went to the Nackumat. Like our version of super target but with only one selection of everything. We bought a few things, sat at the coffee shop and had iced tea (filtered water!) I had a chance to call my sister via video chat since we had a good wifi connection. I got to see my sister, brother in law, and nephews. It was just what I needed after the emotional afternoon I just had. Thank goodness for technology, it allowed me to see my family across the globe and reminded me that it is in fact the reason for the first trip to Rwanda with Softchoice Cares many years back.
We headed back to our hotel, La Pallisse Kigali with little time to get ready for our most fancy dinner of the trip. It is called Heaven, and it is :) I looked it up om the internet before coming to rwanda, and the website does not give it justice! Nestled on one of the many hills in Kigali is this beautiful open air restaurant. The minute you walk in, it smells of sweet flowers and delicious food. We take our seats after checking out the great view of the city at night....which is beautiful. We were joined by Lama (our Rwandan leader) and Rogers and William (the 2 young gentlemen who design and over see the kitchen gardens). As soon as we sit and take a look at the menu, the manager tells us we are in for a treat as there are a group of 15 or so African dancers to entertain us. Orphaned children from the ages 5-15 came out and did several dance routines. Wow. Adorable. Amazing. Just a few words I thought in the first 10 seconds. They danced for about 45 mins, and there was a donation jar if you wished to contribute. They perform to pay for their schooling, and the restaurant matched what was raised. I am pretty sure they did quite well! We then ordered food, passion fruit margarita and Filet of beef for me! Whoa, meat for both lunch and dinner??? As the night wrapped up we started a series of cheers or speeches. It was a chance to express appreciation on both sides for the week we spent together. Saying good bye to the people you work next too, share life experiences, and have great respect for is the hardest part of these trips. Real connections, friendships, are made in such a short time....despite any language barrier.
Tough day........ We got back to the hotel a little after 1:00 in the morning....that 5:30 wake up was tough! Although the time here in Rwanda is finishing, this country and the people have made an impact and are within my heart.....as Rogers put it last night, from a vein that pumps blood.
Heather
My TTAA
1. Water. The people of Rwanda amaze me in so many ways, but the one that still causes me to have such a reaction is the way most get water. Children and adults walk for miles up and down hills with Jerrycans strapped to their bike to get water. It is never much at time since water is heavy and the walk is so great. It is just a part of their day, and something I never thought about...that has now changed.
2. Smells. Every where you go in Africa has a unique smell, some favorable and some not at all. I haven't experienced any other place with so many different smells, and know it will be one of the many things I don't forget.
3. Utilization. Everything in this land is utilized completely. From clothing, crops, animals, bikes, water, reeds, manure (including an eco-toilet and i will let you figure that one out) and most importantly the top of your head :) where the people here can balance anything as they walk.....nothing is wasted and excess does not exist.
Mali & Heather
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
"How can you still claim to be Christian after all of this?" was Lisa's comment on the priests and so on who fronted protection and allowed the Tutsis to be killed. Man, woman, children - there were no exceptions.
After leaving the memorial site, we headed into Kigali. On the way, I was processing the experience and thought to myself "how could something so ugly, so hideous, happen in a place so breath-takingly beautiful?". Then I thought about how far Rwanda has come as a country, how much it has developed. I think rwanda's strength is what makes the country so beautiful. They had gone through atrocities but yet, now their healthcare systems exceed those of many other countries in Africa. It's an incredible thing. Ask any one of our team member about it, they'll tell you the same. The dedication of Rwanda's people to make their country a better place is amazing. They don't want to be known for the genocide. It's nicknamed the country of a thousand hills, not the country who was destroyed by genocide. It's true, rwanda suffered greatly from the genocide but the development since then completely overpowers their loss.
On our way to Kigali, I saw a couple interesting billboards that show rwanda's development. There was one sign that read "there is no room for corruption in Rwanda" and another that had pictures of condoms, promoting contraception. Rwanda is trying to go against the stereotype of Africa being corrupt and trying to promote family planning. These two things are very important.
TTAA time!
1. The dirt roads: some people get nauseous because of the super bumpy dirt roads, but I love them. I enjoy the hour-long bus ride from Gashora to Kigali not only because of the scenery but because of the dirt smell. The dust that is kicked up by the bus wheels smells like Africa. It's the greatest.
2. Hand-painted signs: if you look closely at the signs on brick walls in front of stores, you'll see that they're actually hand painted. How they get it so neat, I have no idea. I cant even draw a straight line to save my life. They're so good that you'd think that they're printed.
3. Rolling hills in Rwanda: if you're looking to fall in love, come to Rwanda. I have visited three times, and every time, I fall in love all over again.
My guest star today is Heather. She will be putting in her two cents later tonight. Now, we just came back from the genocide museum. I had been there already before, but I went in again anyways because there were particular rooms that I wanted to spend some time in. My father says this was my third time, I only remember this being my second time... Anyways, I skipped all of the fine print story-telling and headed to the picture rooms. There were two picture rooms: one with the adults, the other with children. In the adult room, photographs of lost loved ones were hanging clothesline style off of the walls. This way, you could touch the photos and flip them over as some of them had messages written on the backs. There was a projector in the room which showed a film featuring survivors and what they remembered about family they had lost. I watched the whole thing once before going to each wall to look at the pictures. I sat there trying to remember their faces. I found myself moving the photos along the wire so that the covered ones could be clearly seen instead of being hidden behind others. I felt like their faces needed to be seen. They had such beautiful faces. Some of the photographs were sometimes so blurred that you could barely see the picture, others were worn, torn and stained. Some of these photographs given by surviving family members were the only photos they had of their loved ones. I went around the entire room repeating the same thing: sit down, stare, remember, fix, stare, remember... I did the same in the room with the photos of the children who were brutally murdered during the genocide. There is a very powerful and incredibly depressing part of the museum which is exhibited at the end of the museum. It is comprised of several rooms with very large pictures of individual children. In front of these portraits, there are plaques with the names, something like their favorite food or favorite toy, and the last line would describe how they were murdered. There is incredible shock value here and it really breaks your heart. To see these children, one of which was 15 months when they were killed, and their smiles and the little things that helps get to know them.... And then reading how they were killed.... It's very depressing... It makes me angry just to think about it.
M
Hey guys, it's heather again! First off....my bags came!!! Both of them, at the same time :) ok now on to the important stuff.....we found a burger joint for lunch. Mr Chips. If you are every in Kigali, and missing home this is the place to go! Burgers, fries, and yes, chicken strips! I think this was the first bit of meat I have had all week. After we ate we head to the genocide memorial, but not before seeing 5 wedding parties pass by as we wait for the cab. They had a videographer standing in the bed of a truck filming the "limo", which was a more fancy car with tool and flowers wrapped around it. Weddings are a huge deal here in Rwanda, so spending a few years salary on them. Ahhhh, tradition.
Now on to the tough stuff, and Mali did an awesome job of bringing what we saw to life. I'm not going to lie, I am having trouble writing this today. What you see in the museum is real. Seeing the movies, reading books, does not even begin to tell the story of what happened here. Seeing the photos as she mentioned, and putting actual faces to the stories, is something I will never forget. The genocide happened....over 2 million people died in 100 days, 100 tutsis every 20 mins....almost 20 years ago, but this country is resilient. They know there history and it will remain with them forever, but they forgive. Amazingly, they forgive. I truly believe that is a big reason for their progressive recovery, making it one of the most successful countries in Africa.
Once we completed the tour, we went to the Nackumat. Like our version of super target but with only one selection of everything. We bought a few things, sat at the coffee shop and had iced tea (filtered water!) I had a chance to call my sister via video chat since we had a good wifi connection. I got to see my sister, brother in law, and nephews. It was just what I needed after the emotional afternoon I just had. Thank goodness for technology, it allowed me to see my family across the globe and reminded me that it is in fact the reason for the first trip to Rwanda with Softchoice Cares many years back.
We headed back to our hotel, La Pallisse Kigali with little time to get ready for our most fancy dinner of the trip. It is called Heaven, and it is :) I looked it up om the internet before coming to rwanda, and the website does not give it justice! Nestled on one of the many hills in Kigali is this beautiful open air restaurant. The minute you walk in, it smells of sweet flowers and delicious food. We take our seats after checking out the great view of the city at night....which is beautiful. We were joined by Lama (our Rwandan leader) and Rogers and William (the 2 young gentlemen who design and over see the kitchen gardens). As soon as we sit and take a look at the menu, the manager tells us we are in for a treat as there are a group of 15 or so African dancers to entertain us. Orphaned children from the ages 5-15 came out and did several dance routines. Wow. Adorable. Amazing. Just a few words I thought in the first 10 seconds. They danced for about 45 mins, and there was a donation jar if you wished to contribute. They perform to pay for their schooling, and the restaurant matched what was raised. I am pretty sure they did quite well! We then ordered food, passion fruit margarita and Filet of beef for me! Whoa, meat for both lunch and dinner??? As the night wrapped up we started a series of cheers or speeches. It was a chance to express appreciation on both sides for the week we spent together. Saying good bye to the people you work next too, share life experiences, and have great respect for is the hardest part of these trips. Real connections, friendships, are made in such a short time....despite any language barrier.
Tough day........ We got back to the hotel a little after 1:00 in the morning....that 5:30 wake up was tough! Although the time here in Rwanda is finishing, this country and the people have made an impact and are within my heart.....as Rogers put it last night, from a vein that pumps blood.
Heather
My TTAA
1. Water. The people of Rwanda amaze me in so many ways, but the one that still causes me to have such a reaction is the way most get water. Children and adults walk for miles up and down hills with Jerrycans strapped to their bike to get water. It is never much at time since water is heavy and the walk is so great. It is just a part of their day, and something I never thought about...that has now changed.
2. Smells. Every where you go in Africa has a unique smell, some favorable and some not at all. I haven't experienced any other place with so many different smells, and know it will be one of the many things I don't forget.
3. Utilization. Everything in this land is utilized completely. From clothing, crops, animals, bikes, water, reeds, manure (including an eco-toilet and i will let you figure that one out) and most importantly the top of your head :) where the people here can balance anything as they walk.....nothing is wasted and excess does not exist.
Mali & Heather
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
July 22: the Genocide museum, dinner and profound speeches
Yesterday was a day I was looking forward to the least, the day of two genocide museum tours, but it ended up probably the most meaningful day for all of us with a wonderful, reflective supper at the end. It started with our smiling 12 year old "Big Dog" helping to swing our suitcases up into the truck for the journey back to Kigali. We feel conflicted about Big Dog- he is obviously a hanger-on looking to ingratiate the muzungus, and he's skipping school to do so, and the Covaga women don't trust him, but he's such a hard worker and he seems to want to succeed. Lama has taken him under wing like an adopted son, and it seems to be bringing out the best in Big Dog. We picked up William and Rodgers and drove to Nyamata memorial site, where several thousand Tutsi took shelter at the local church, packed in like a concentration camp box car, and the priest collaborated in giving them up to slaughter. The pews of the church were stacked high with an incredible number of ragged clothes of the victims - no pictures or bones, just empty clothes that that once had people inside them. In the back yard of the church is a crypt where underground the are rows and rows of skulls, most of them machete-fractured, and stocks of femur bones that make you want to puke. We all emerged speechless from the experience, gave individual donations, and wrote short phrases in the memorial book like "never again" or "forgive but not forget". What I think we all felt was how incomprehensible this killing spree was given how peaceful And law-abiding Rwanda is now, only 18 years later. Nick said the peaceful forgiveness was fully evident 4 years ago. How have they turned things around is nothing short of a miracle. We didn't talk a lot in the bus afterword, and got back to normal camaraderie at lunch in Kigali at a Toronto-based hamburger joint called Mr Chips. Most of us wanted a taste of North America after a week of carb-based meals in Gashora, and the cheeseburgers and fries were gobbled up. The vegetarians had a good feed of fish and chips.
Next we went to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum. It's a much more informative site, taking you through colonial history where the Belgians used the Divide and Conquer technique of giving leadership privileges to the Tutsi minority based on racial profiling as a taller, lighter-skinned tribe, and cemented the differences with identity cards of Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa. Just before independence the Belgians guiltily pulled a switch and fired the Tutsi leaders and replaced them with Hutu leaders in preparation for majority-rule democracy. Lo and behold, just like in Sri Lanka and Uganda, the majority took revenge on the "collaborator" minorities. Picture and large print panels showed how the Tutsis survived pogroms from 1959 to 1990, with hundreds of thousands becoming refugees in Burundi (like Lama) and other neighboring countries. The info panels get more detailed from 1990-1994, showing how the Tutsi Rwanda Patriotic Front based in Uganda attacked into Rwanda trying to force the government to stop the pogroms and allow the refugees to return; the French government stopped the rebel army and there was a ceasefire, but Hutu extremists inflamed the population with hatred against Tutsi invaders. Despite sponsoring the Arusha peace negotiations and sending a small blue beret ed peacekeeping force, the UN ignored warnings that the Rwandan government was supporting Hutu extremists planning a much larger pogrom of genocide, not to create refugees like in the past, but an extermination. The museum uses video interviews with 5 or 6 genocide survivors taking us through how their neighbours turned on them and became brutal killers based on inflammatory radio propaganda. Videos also show how village justice courts got perpetrators to confess their crimes to their victims in public, and how difficult it was for victims to forgive them, but incredibly the victims all supported the idea of moving on through forgiveness. The museum doesn't overdo a guilt trip on the Hutu majority, it just relies on promoting compassion for the victims, and it also has 3 rooms showing other genocides in Europe (WW2 Germany, Armenia, and Bosnia) and Asia (Cambodia (1972-74) and America (Columbus Spaniards) to show that African genocide is not unique. The museum ends with pictures of children victims in happy family photos, and gut-wrenching captions like " hacked to death " or "head smashed in"' etc. You then go outside to large-slab tombs where over 250,000 people are buried, with simple purple and white flower bouquets on top, purple for freedom and white for peace. There are also a few understated and tasteful gardens full of symbolism about past mistakes and future hopes. Very well designed and powerful. I was the last one back on the bus, but no one scowled at me for keeping them waiting - there was just silence again as we all took in the enormity of the tragedy.
We were glad to return to La Palisse to unload our bags and to get a shower. We dressed up for a special farewell dinner with Lama, Rodgers, and William, reserved for 7:30, but the bus arrived after 8:00 (Rwanda time). We ran into a Saturday night traffic jam going downtown and arrived at 8:30. Rodgers and William arrived a few minutes later - the restaurant is called Heaven. As soon as we ordered drinks, the manager announced we would get a special African dance performance by a children's group singing for donations for school uniforms (they are orphans). They had great costumes and a strong drummer, and we're a delight to watch. Corie noticed the manager seemed to have a Canadian accent, and sure enough comes from Listowel, Ontario. He liked the beautiful backyard patio and has been training wait staff and the local woman chef through a temporary French chef, as he would like to return to Canada, but leaving a top performing restaurant in his wake. The food is locally bought and all restaurant tables, mats, etc., and he showcases local artists. We enjoyed a great meal and used our own wine (corkage fee), but the highlight was after-dinner speeches led by Nick who thanked our 3 African hosts in Building Bridges with Rwanda for being excellent organizers so we all felt busy and useful in Covaga. Lama followed by thanking us for our dedication and he gave us a bit of personal history relating to the Genocide Museum, that his family was threatened in 1959 and became refugees in Burundi, and he was lucky enough to get a UN-sponsored education and spent 30 years in Canada (mostly Vancouver), but he longed to return home to put his Economic Development education to good practice, which he did in 2008, hearing that Rwanda was stable. His daughter thought he was crazy, but he feels he is doing successful work with young Rwandan interns and North American partners. You could feel the commitment in Lama's voice. (later when we returned Lama home to his modest house on a dirt road, we realize how much he is dedicated to his vision). Nick asked others for comments and Amy and Corie, our gregarious ladies, talked about the positive energy in Rwanda compared to other countries, the genuine welcome by the Covaga ladies and the joy of the children. Maybe it was the wine but mostly the spirit of camaraderie - we all said heartfelt words in spontaneous turns. Lisa was amazed at the willingness to forgive in Rwanda, much more than her Irish ancestors have done. I praised the 3 African hosts for showing compassionate and intelligent role models for African men like Nelson Mandela has done. Rodgers shared his vision of helping educate Rwandan children and parents about balanced nutrition with the kitchen gardens, and William thanked us for our continued support. Maria and Mike added words of praise for Rwanda's progress, and Gary said the past week has had the most profound memories of his life other than the birth of his child. Bennett said he loved the children, and Mali ended up blowing our minds with Spoken Word poetry that she recited flawlessly and emotionally about the evils of boy soldiery. She will share her poetry on a future blog. We had bittersweet goodbyes with Lama, Rodgers and William, but you could feel a real desire for a continuing partnership in the group. We got back after midnight knowing we needed to get up early for our safari, but I think we all felt it was a memorable dinner.
John Rowell
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
Next we went to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum. It's a much more informative site, taking you through colonial history where the Belgians used the Divide and Conquer technique of giving leadership privileges to the Tutsi minority based on racial profiling as a taller, lighter-skinned tribe, and cemented the differences with identity cards of Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa. Just before independence the Belgians guiltily pulled a switch and fired the Tutsi leaders and replaced them with Hutu leaders in preparation for majority-rule democracy. Lo and behold, just like in Sri Lanka and Uganda, the majority took revenge on the "collaborator" minorities. Picture and large print panels showed how the Tutsis survived pogroms from 1959 to 1990, with hundreds of thousands becoming refugees in Burundi (like Lama) and other neighboring countries. The info panels get more detailed from 1990-1994, showing how the Tutsi Rwanda Patriotic Front based in Uganda attacked into Rwanda trying to force the government to stop the pogroms and allow the refugees to return; the French government stopped the rebel army and there was a ceasefire, but Hutu extremists inflamed the population with hatred against Tutsi invaders. Despite sponsoring the Arusha peace negotiations and sending a small blue beret ed peacekeeping force, the UN ignored warnings that the Rwandan government was supporting Hutu extremists planning a much larger pogrom of genocide, not to create refugees like in the past, but an extermination. The museum uses video interviews with 5 or 6 genocide survivors taking us through how their neighbours turned on them and became brutal killers based on inflammatory radio propaganda. Videos also show how village justice courts got perpetrators to confess their crimes to their victims in public, and how difficult it was for victims to forgive them, but incredibly the victims all supported the idea of moving on through forgiveness. The museum doesn't overdo a guilt trip on the Hutu majority, it just relies on promoting compassion for the victims, and it also has 3 rooms showing other genocides in Europe (WW2 Germany, Armenia, and Bosnia) and Asia (Cambodia (1972-74) and America (Columbus Spaniards) to show that African genocide is not unique. The museum ends with pictures of children victims in happy family photos, and gut-wrenching captions like " hacked to death " or "head smashed in"' etc. You then go outside to large-slab tombs where over 250,000 people are buried, with simple purple and white flower bouquets on top, purple for freedom and white for peace. There are also a few understated and tasteful gardens full of symbolism about past mistakes and future hopes. Very well designed and powerful. I was the last one back on the bus, but no one scowled at me for keeping them waiting - there was just silence again as we all took in the enormity of the tragedy.
We were glad to return to La Palisse to unload our bags and to get a shower. We dressed up for a special farewell dinner with Lama, Rodgers, and William, reserved for 7:30, but the bus arrived after 8:00 (Rwanda time). We ran into a Saturday night traffic jam going downtown and arrived at 8:30. Rodgers and William arrived a few minutes later - the restaurant is called Heaven. As soon as we ordered drinks, the manager announced we would get a special African dance performance by a children's group singing for donations for school uniforms (they are orphans). They had great costumes and a strong drummer, and we're a delight to watch. Corie noticed the manager seemed to have a Canadian accent, and sure enough comes from Listowel, Ontario. He liked the beautiful backyard patio and has been training wait staff and the local woman chef through a temporary French chef, as he would like to return to Canada, but leaving a top performing restaurant in his wake. The food is locally bought and all restaurant tables, mats, etc., and he showcases local artists. We enjoyed a great meal and used our own wine (corkage fee), but the highlight was after-dinner speeches led by Nick who thanked our 3 African hosts in Building Bridges with Rwanda for being excellent organizers so we all felt busy and useful in Covaga. Lama followed by thanking us for our dedication and he gave us a bit of personal history relating to the Genocide Museum, that his family was threatened in 1959 and became refugees in Burundi, and he was lucky enough to get a UN-sponsored education and spent 30 years in Canada (mostly Vancouver), but he longed to return home to put his Economic Development education to good practice, which he did in 2008, hearing that Rwanda was stable. His daughter thought he was crazy, but he feels he is doing successful work with young Rwandan interns and North American partners. You could feel the commitment in Lama's voice. (later when we returned Lama home to his modest house on a dirt road, we realize how much he is dedicated to his vision). Nick asked others for comments and Amy and Corie, our gregarious ladies, talked about the positive energy in Rwanda compared to other countries, the genuine welcome by the Covaga ladies and the joy of the children. Maybe it was the wine but mostly the spirit of camaraderie - we all said heartfelt words in spontaneous turns. Lisa was amazed at the willingness to forgive in Rwanda, much more than her Irish ancestors have done. I praised the 3 African hosts for showing compassionate and intelligent role models for African men like Nelson Mandela has done. Rodgers shared his vision of helping educate Rwandan children and parents about balanced nutrition with the kitchen gardens, and William thanked us for our continued support. Maria and Mike added words of praise for Rwanda's progress, and Gary said the past week has had the most profound memories of his life other than the birth of his child. Bennett said he loved the children, and Mali ended up blowing our minds with Spoken Word poetry that she recited flawlessly and emotionally about the evils of boy soldiery. She will share her poetry on a future blog. We had bittersweet goodbyes with Lama, Rodgers and William, but you could feel a real desire for a continuing partnership in the group. We got back after midnight knowing we needed to get up early for our safari, but I think we all felt it was a memorable dinner.
John Rowell
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
July 22: Back to Kigali
The hazy air in Kigali feels heavy in the languid heat of a busy Saturday afternoon. It is a perfect match for the heavy feeling after visiting the genocide museums today. Frankly it is always unbelievable what people are capable of doing to each other. The first museum was in a village church where hundreds were killed after seeking refuge. Apparently the priest locked everyone in and made a call that resulted in row upon row of the bloodied clothes of the victims along with several underground crypts filled with bones. The second museum in Kigali told a more complete history of the events running up to the 100 days in 1994 when over 800,000 people were murdered. Parts of the exhibits are so dreadful that I had to look away. How many machete wounds can you absorb before you turn off? Maybe I understand Dalaire's PTSD just a little. I gather that most Rwandans wish to put the genocide behind them and move on with their lives and with the development of their country. Apparently some wish to deny the magnitude of the murder so these museums are truly important. Sadly, I have my doubts that more similar museums won't be created in future in other parts of the world. Is Syria next?
All this stands in stark contrast to the beautiful week in Gashora as described by many of the other posts. I really enjoyed working with Rodgers/William on the kitchen gardens, with Peter on the shelving and the fencing led by David. As I said to the team the other night those shelves really offended my sense of level/square/straight etc, and really had me wishing for my "proper" tools, but Peter never quit despite the wet wood and bent nails. So we all plowed along with him and got it done. I hope they will serve them for many years to come. I think we've seen a glimse of a future Rwandan leader in Rodgers. He is incredibly passionate in helping people eat better by installing kitchen gardens. More importantly he always makes a point of knowing everyone's name and passing along encouraging words. I have my doubts the gardens will work given the limited water and seed supplies, but if Rodgers has anything to do with keeping them going they will be fine. He is very charismatic and draws people in with his big smile and big dreams.
We're heading out to a nice dinner at a place called Heaven tonight and you can believe I won't be ordering anything with potatoes! We've had spuds morning, noon and night this past week. We should have brought some ketchup! Over and out.
Mike
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
All this stands in stark contrast to the beautiful week in Gashora as described by many of the other posts. I really enjoyed working with Rodgers/William on the kitchen gardens, with Peter on the shelving and the fencing led by David. As I said to the team the other night those shelves really offended my sense of level/square/straight etc, and really had me wishing for my "proper" tools, but Peter never quit despite the wet wood and bent nails. So we all plowed along with him and got it done. I hope they will serve them for many years to come. I think we've seen a glimse of a future Rwandan leader in Rodgers. He is incredibly passionate in helping people eat better by installing kitchen gardens. More importantly he always makes a point of knowing everyone's name and passing along encouraging words. I have my doubts the gardens will work given the limited water and seed supplies, but if Rodgers has anything to do with keeping them going they will be fine. He is very charismatic and draws people in with his big smile and big dreams.
We're heading out to a nice dinner at a place called Heaven tonight and you can believe I won't be ordering anything with potatoes! We've had spuds morning, noon and night this past week. We should have brought some ketchup! Over and out.
Mike
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
July 22: Au revoir Gashora
It has been a great time here in Gashora. Our bags are packed to overflowing with baskets from the Covaga Co-operative. Our clothes have a tinge of red from the soil we've been working in for the last five days. Our backs are a bit stiff from the hard labour. And we have said our farewells. There were more than a few tears. I think we've touched the lives of many people this week. Perhaps they will forget our names and even our faces. But I don't think they will forget the sight of foreigners working shoulder to shoulder with local villagers to improve their quality of life. I certainly will not forget the sight of the 8 to 10 year olds helping us hoe, hammer and touring us around town barefoot. I will not forget the excitement in the voice of the genocide survivor when she spoke about how the kitchen garden will help her feed her 4 children and the 3 other children she has taken in. I will cherish the memory of the surprise and joy on the women's faces as they received photos of themselves on our last day in town. Perhaps the best memory will be of so many individuals - local and foreign - who came together to improve a community which has been described as the epicentre of the genocide. My wish for Gashora is for it to keep its charm, community spirit and pride as it continues to grow stronger and more vital as each project and initiative progresses.
Maria
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
Maria
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
July 21: Kitchen garden project
In order to alleviate malnutrition the Government of Rwanda is asking people to eat better and one of the solutions is the implementation of the Kitchen Garden. It costs about $12 to $15 to install and importantly manages water retention better than regular gardening. Carrying water is a big chore and this is one reason that people will consider using this approach. The tiers are meant to have carrots, beets, amarynth and cabbage. Having green vegetables to add to the diet of corn and rice is huge. We built five of these while we were in Gashora and we loved working with the local people to install these!
DWC Team
Rwanda, July 2012
DWC Team
Rwanda, July 2012
July 21: Our last day on the project
Hey all! Today was our last day in Gashora (sad face), but we managed to put up another kitchen garden, and work on the fencing. I shoveled and moved soil from one place to the next, pretty much the whole morning. It's mad tiring work! And it was so hot out... The sun was really not letting up at all. I wore my white -tshirt today... It got super dirty (what a surprise). I can't wait see all of the pictures from this trip!! I haven't seen any at all. I didn't bring my camera and left it to my father and his mundo-cam to document our trip in pictures because I agreed to do this blogging. When we came back to Gashora to join up with the part of the team that was working on putting a fence around Covaga's property, we were relieved to be able to sit down. Also, I have collected 5 friendship bracelets from the little girl I played catch with. Super cute.
Anyways, here's Corie.... She'll give you the 411 on this afternoon and her TTAA's.
So the 411 on the afternoon goes like this...lunch was long and leisurely today. Some of us were a bit tired from our very physical work week (see Lisa's photo of John). We had rice, a mash of veggies, French fries, and plantains!
Upon the conclusion of lunch, we headed back to our home base of Covaga. We thought we might be going to the Genocide Memorial but that didn't happen. We then got busy helping to build Covaga's barbwired fence. Now that was tough work. The grief involved with trying to put up this fence are mainly twofold: the one roll of barb wire was buckling and then it was tough to get enough tension in the fencing to secure it well to the posts - that's our North American perfectionism coming out - I guess we have to earn more of the African way - Hakuna Matata!
After the fencing project started wrapping up for the day, I (Corie), started an impromptu dance party with a few other the children. Many were giggling at my crazy white person moves!
We soon were shuffled inside Covaga for our final celebration. We sat with the ladies inside Covaga and listened to a few speeches- Lama, two Covaga ladies, and a few of the men we've been working with this week including Roger and Chance. We were supposed to sing for the group but we got saved by Roger and the ladies breaking into song. Many of us got up and danced - all good fun.
Once this celebration wrapped up, we walked over to the basketball court to watch the local teams play. We did not last long as it was already 5:30 pm. We all wandered back in a trickle - I wandered back with Mali and a bunch of local children. I got them singing "Old MacDonald's Farm" much to Mali's delight at my animal noises.
We returned to La Palisse around 6pm - just in time to clean up for dinner. The food was good and dessert was even better - maple fudge and chocolate. Now it's time for cards...
My TTAA's:
1. I love the people - they are so warm and welcoming.
2. I love the singing and dancing and the amazing attitude and feeling that goes with it.
3. I love the 'Hakuna Matata' mentality.
See you later all -no worries - be happy.
Now for a repeat guest appearance that he cannot refuse as I'm his new best friend .... Bennett is back with his TTAA's
1. I love how there are so many little ones running around, all of them happy and curious.
2. I love how people in Rwanda want to do so much for their country and to do the best they can to make it a better place.
3. I love how easy it is to have a connection with people here even though their is a language barrier.
Mali, Corie & Bennett
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
Anyways, here's Corie.... She'll give you the 411 on this afternoon and her TTAA's.
So the 411 on the afternoon goes like this...lunch was long and leisurely today. Some of us were a bit tired from our very physical work week (see Lisa's photo of John). We had rice, a mash of veggies, French fries, and plantains!
Upon the conclusion of lunch, we headed back to our home base of Covaga. We thought we might be going to the Genocide Memorial but that didn't happen. We then got busy helping to build Covaga's barbwired fence. Now that was tough work. The grief involved with trying to put up this fence are mainly twofold: the one roll of barb wire was buckling and then it was tough to get enough tension in the fencing to secure it well to the posts - that's our North American perfectionism coming out - I guess we have to earn more of the African way - Hakuna Matata!
After the fencing project started wrapping up for the day, I (Corie), started an impromptu dance party with a few other the children. Many were giggling at my crazy white person moves!
We soon were shuffled inside Covaga for our final celebration. We sat with the ladies inside Covaga and listened to a few speeches- Lama, two Covaga ladies, and a few of the men we've been working with this week including Roger and Chance. We were supposed to sing for the group but we got saved by Roger and the ladies breaking into song. Many of us got up and danced - all good fun.
Once this celebration wrapped up, we walked over to the basketball court to watch the local teams play. We did not last long as it was already 5:30 pm. We all wandered back in a trickle - I wandered back with Mali and a bunch of local children. I got them singing "Old MacDonald's Farm" much to Mali's delight at my animal noises.
We returned to La Palisse around 6pm - just in time to clean up for dinner. The food was good and dessert was even better - maple fudge and chocolate. Now it's time for cards...
My TTAA's:
1. I love the people - they are so warm and welcoming.
2. I love the singing and dancing and the amazing attitude and feeling that goes with it.
3. I love the 'Hakuna Matata' mentality.
See you later all -no worries - be happy.
Now for a repeat guest appearance that he cannot refuse as I'm his new best friend .... Bennett is back with his TTAA's
1. I love how there are so many little ones running around, all of them happy and curious.
2. I love how people in Rwanda want to do so much for their country and to do the best they can to make it a better place.
3. I love how easy it is to have a connection with people here even though their is a language barrier.
Mali, Corie & Bennett
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
July 20: Peter and his new shelves
Peters is the general contractor in the area who really needed some shelves to organize the tools he and a lot of the community use. He was very happy to get these done in 4 days because he thought it was going to take him 10. We dedicated a few people for a short time 3 days this week and apparently it made a difference. Peters was an awesome guy so it was really nice to see him happy with how it turned out.
Gary & Amy
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
Gary & Amy
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
July 20: So far so good!
So far my experience in Rwanda has been nothing short of awesome. I can't believe we are leaving Gashora tomorrow already. I'm very much looking forward to the safari and moving onto Uganda but a big part of me just wants to stay here. I can't describe how I feel when I walk down the street and have 30 kids running down to see me screaming "Mzungu" which of course causes another 30 kids from the next street to come running too. We are all as popular here as Justin Bieber is in North America. I can easily get used to this attention. Had my bike taxi driver been a little slower, I could have had enough time to get my camera and get a video of a few little ones doing a mzungu dance in the street as we rode by. It was very cute.
Everyone is doing a great job of recording the days events so I won't repeat what they have said. I am not so sure I could tell our story as good as Mali has done so far anyway. The kitchen gardens are a fun and exciting project. We are now functioning like a well oiled machine and can crank them out quite quickly. I will admit to having some of the locals to help us everyday and those guys are amazing. They do not rest, ever. We also have a dozen or so kids hanging around pitching in.
I have figured out why I connect so well with the kids. We have a few things in common.
1. We are both super excited to be doing this.
2. We both just want to help any way we can.
3. We both do a great job of slowing down the local workers.
Luckily, the locals are very patient with us and take the time to show us what we are doing wrong or how we can be more efficient. I had a bit of a breaking point the other day. I can't actually talk about it yet without getting tears in my eyes but one day I will be able to share. I was told all along it would happen sooner or later but it took me by surprise anyway. Maybe after a few more days, I'll be able to at least blog it. I know I will not be able to tell the story for a very long time without crying like a little baby. It is amazing how the kids can say a few words that really hit home. Who knows if they truly understand what they are even saying. Either way, it is very moving.
Looking forward to today. Another kitchen garden and helping with the fence at COVAGA. Not sure which job I'm doing yet. It will be sad to say bye to everyone but the ladies have said they would like to do a performance for us to show their thanks for all we have done for them this week. I can't wait to see it. The impromptu singing and dancing we saw a couple days ago was very great to see. I'm sure I'll have many new stories to add in the next few days. Till then, hope everyone at home is doing well and I miss you all.
Gary (aka: Gavy)
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
Everyone is doing a great job of recording the days events so I won't repeat what they have said. I am not so sure I could tell our story as good as Mali has done so far anyway. The kitchen gardens are a fun and exciting project. We are now functioning like a well oiled machine and can crank them out quite quickly. I will admit to having some of the locals to help us everyday and those guys are amazing. They do not rest, ever. We also have a dozen or so kids hanging around pitching in.
I have figured out why I connect so well with the kids. We have a few things in common.
1. We are both super excited to be doing this.
2. We both just want to help any way we can.
3. We both do a great job of slowing down the local workers.
Luckily, the locals are very patient with us and take the time to show us what we are doing wrong or how we can be more efficient. I had a bit of a breaking point the other day. I can't actually talk about it yet without getting tears in my eyes but one day I will be able to share. I was told all along it would happen sooner or later but it took me by surprise anyway. Maybe after a few more days, I'll be able to at least blog it. I know I will not be able to tell the story for a very long time without crying like a little baby. It is amazing how the kids can say a few words that really hit home. Who knows if they truly understand what they are even saying. Either way, it is very moving.
Looking forward to today. Another kitchen garden and helping with the fence at COVAGA. Not sure which job I'm doing yet. It will be sad to say bye to everyone but the ladies have said they would like to do a performance for us to show their thanks for all we have done for them this week. I can't wait to see it. The impromptu singing and dancing we saw a couple days ago was very great to see. I'm sure I'll have many new stories to add in the next few days. Till then, hope everyone at home is doing well and I miss you all.
Gary (aka: Gavy)
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
July 20: Mzungus who fenced, gardened and played the role of Optometrists
We're collab-ing again tonight... Our guest star tonight is Bennett Foster. He'll be covering the first half and I'll be reporting on the last half.... So, here's Bennett with this morning's activities!
Hey its Bennett here and I'm Mali's cousin. So getting to the Covaga was interesting today. I ended up running all the way from the hotel to Covaga while everyone else took the bike taxis... Anyway when I finally got there we had three different jobs to do. Stringing more wire onto the fence, building shelves for the Covaga, and making another kitchen garden. Me and Mali stayed at Covaga and helped Peter the carpenter out for the morning. Cutting wood and nailing boards together was a nice change from the physical labour of building the kitchen gardens. And of course the constant flow of little kids made it even more enjoyable. All of them wanting to help you, hold your tools, and try on your work gloves. A lot of the kids have become regulars by now and always seem to appear at your side.
When we had done all we could with the shelving I jumped into another job with my Aunt Lisa, who was stringing wire at the time. That got done quick.
By now people the kitchen garden team were arriving back at the Covaga. They were dirty, tired and ready for lunch. Corie and some of the American team, who had been helping to teach English at the primary school, were also arriving.
We breaked for lunch and began our walk toward the Lake Side Restaurant. Walking down the street you attract a lot of attention. We each have at least one little kid holding our hand and as we walk people stop to observe us and give us curious looks. We smile and wave and they wave back. Little kids run out of their homes saying "Mzungu! Mzungu!" (White Man) as we pass. Its a cool thing to experience and it just proves that there aren't a lot of white people just walking past you in Africa.
That's it for me, I'll hand it over to Mali for the afternoon's activities. Bennett out.
Hey guys.... So let's begin yesterday's summary of afternoon shenanigans...After lunch, Maria, Corie and I decided we'd join forces and visit the medical clinic to help testing people for their vision. We couldn't find the letter chart so we had to use a picture chart... So Maria and Corie learned some new kenyarwandan. I sorted the glasses in two: a pile for readers and a pile for distance glasses. I also learned how to identify the two... Thank you, Maria! I also took turns with Corie being the pointer... Which, by the way, is ridiculously tiring for the shoulders. It was fun sorting through the glasses.... We found a pair which were of ridiculous strength. They actually looked like coke bottle lenses. It was so funny to watch someone try them on... They magnified your eyes like crazy and you couldn't see anything but super-blurrs. Corie took them over to the people waiting in line and had them try them on. There was a lot of aggressive finger shaking indicating that they couldn't see at all, followed by cackling of laughter.
After going through about 50 people and taking down names of people who needed to come back to see a doctor before being set up with a pair of glasses.That took about two hours.
When we got back to basket HQ (Covaga) I started playing around with the kids and got them to punch my open palms. They're actually pretty strong... One of them had a tennis ball so I took it and started playing catch with two of the kids. It was really fun. It reminded me of when my dad and I used to play catch with a tennis ball and how much fun that was for me. It was really heart-warming to see them smiling and laughing when they missed the ball.
After about half an hour, we were on our way to a bar for some beers (no mother, I didn't drink). As we were sitting there sipping our cold bevys, we saw a group of children wearing green jerseys and realized that that was the primary school's track team (couldve been the soccer team.... Not too sure) running in unison around Gashora. The green shirts they we're wearing were, in fact, the ones we had donated to the primary school! It was amazing to see our donations in use and you could tell they we're beaming in their matching uniforms.
When we bike taxi'd home, we had our showers and met up again for dinner. We debriefed about what we were holding at the back of our minds. It took a long time, but the meeting was incredibly insightful. I had the same thoughts as the first-timers when I had first been in Africa. There were also thoughts which I hadn't thought about, but once they were talked about, I realized that they were valid concerns and observations.
My father suggested that I perform a spoken word piece at the farewell thing tonight... I'm hoping that means that if I do it, then I won't have to be part of the team's required singing a song... I doubt I'll be let off the hook. I just feel bad for the audience....
So here we go, tomorrow is our last day in Gashora before we head back to Kigali to do some touristy stuff, including a safari.
Until then,
M
Bennett & Mali Foster
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
Hey its Bennett here and I'm Mali's cousin. So getting to the Covaga was interesting today. I ended up running all the way from the hotel to Covaga while everyone else took the bike taxis... Anyway when I finally got there we had three different jobs to do. Stringing more wire onto the fence, building shelves for the Covaga, and making another kitchen garden. Me and Mali stayed at Covaga and helped Peter the carpenter out for the morning. Cutting wood and nailing boards together was a nice change from the physical labour of building the kitchen gardens. And of course the constant flow of little kids made it even more enjoyable. All of them wanting to help you, hold your tools, and try on your work gloves. A lot of the kids have become regulars by now and always seem to appear at your side.
When we had done all we could with the shelving I jumped into another job with my Aunt Lisa, who was stringing wire at the time. That got done quick.
By now people the kitchen garden team were arriving back at the Covaga. They were dirty, tired and ready for lunch. Corie and some of the American team, who had been helping to teach English at the primary school, were also arriving.
We breaked for lunch and began our walk toward the Lake Side Restaurant. Walking down the street you attract a lot of attention. We each have at least one little kid holding our hand and as we walk people stop to observe us and give us curious looks. We smile and wave and they wave back. Little kids run out of their homes saying "Mzungu! Mzungu!" (White Man) as we pass. Its a cool thing to experience and it just proves that there aren't a lot of white people just walking past you in Africa.
That's it for me, I'll hand it over to Mali for the afternoon's activities. Bennett out.
Hey guys.... So let's begin yesterday's summary of afternoon shenanigans...After lunch, Maria, Corie and I decided we'd join forces and visit the medical clinic to help testing people for their vision. We couldn't find the letter chart so we had to use a picture chart... So Maria and Corie learned some new kenyarwandan. I sorted the glasses in two: a pile for readers and a pile for distance glasses. I also learned how to identify the two... Thank you, Maria! I also took turns with Corie being the pointer... Which, by the way, is ridiculously tiring for the shoulders. It was fun sorting through the glasses.... We found a pair which were of ridiculous strength. They actually looked like coke bottle lenses. It was so funny to watch someone try them on... They magnified your eyes like crazy and you couldn't see anything but super-blurrs. Corie took them over to the people waiting in line and had them try them on. There was a lot of aggressive finger shaking indicating that they couldn't see at all, followed by cackling of laughter.
After going through about 50 people and taking down names of people who needed to come back to see a doctor before being set up with a pair of glasses.That took about two hours.
When we got back to basket HQ (Covaga) I started playing around with the kids and got them to punch my open palms. They're actually pretty strong... One of them had a tennis ball so I took it and started playing catch with two of the kids. It was really fun. It reminded me of when my dad and I used to play catch with a tennis ball and how much fun that was for me. It was really heart-warming to see them smiling and laughing when they missed the ball.
After about half an hour, we were on our way to a bar for some beers (no mother, I didn't drink). As we were sitting there sipping our cold bevys, we saw a group of children wearing green jerseys and realized that that was the primary school's track team (couldve been the soccer team.... Not too sure) running in unison around Gashora. The green shirts they we're wearing were, in fact, the ones we had donated to the primary school! It was amazing to see our donations in use and you could tell they we're beaming in their matching uniforms.
When we bike taxi'd home, we had our showers and met up again for dinner. We debriefed about what we were holding at the back of our minds. It took a long time, but the meeting was incredibly insightful. I had the same thoughts as the first-timers when I had first been in Africa. There were also thoughts which I hadn't thought about, but once they were talked about, I realized that they were valid concerns and observations.
My father suggested that I perform a spoken word piece at the farewell thing tonight... I'm hoping that means that if I do it, then I won't have to be part of the team's required singing a song... I doubt I'll be let off the hook. I just feel bad for the audience....
So here we go, tomorrow is our last day in Gashora before we head back to Kigali to do some touristy stuff, including a safari.
Until then,
M
Bennett & Mali Foster
DWC Participants
Rwanda, July 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
July 19: Amazing trip, people and baskets
Hi friends and family! This is my first post...and it is tough to follow any of Mali's cleaver posts (thank you for your talented writing) but here goes!!!
What an amazing trip we have had so far. The people and community of Gashora are amazing and very connected with each other. They take such care of each other and are always there to pitch in to help on each project we are working on....even if it may not directly benefit them, they know it benefits the community. I am blown away by the sense of pride. We have mostly been working with some of the genocide survivors who have taken in their fair share of orphaned children and help feed some of their neighbors, build an outdoor kitchen garden. This consists of digging out dirt and putting in 3 rings of soil, doing this with wood cut and shaped by machetes. It's once again very interesting to see the "tools" we use to build the gardens. I will post some pictures. We were called " the rockstar group" by the Rwandans because we finished 2 kitchen gardens before lunch....which is an all time record.
I have to say as well how much I enjoy my time at the Covaga Coop. This is a project that helps to empower the women to support their families financially. They make these incredible baskets out of the reeds in the lake, dye them, and then weave them into these amazing baskets. They love sharing stories and their skills with us. Even with the enormous language barrier, you can really connect with these women. They also bring their little children with them to the "office" and we have had so much fun playing with them. In fact all the children in the village are a blast to get to know.
Summary of the trip so far...lost luggage and 24 hour reroute aside, it is fascinating to see the work of previous trips (both Softchoice and DWC) and the connections made, seeing a village with so little with confidence to be as progressive as they are, and how self sufficient the children are and how everyone comes together to take such care of one another. Our team is getting along great and we have had so much fun getting to know each other. I am the official token American with this group of Canadians and my official Rwandan name is HB, since Heather is just a bit too hard to say :) and I love it! Xoxoxo
Heather Brown
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
What an amazing trip we have had so far. The people and community of Gashora are amazing and very connected with each other. They take such care of each other and are always there to pitch in to help on each project we are working on....even if it may not directly benefit them, they know it benefits the community. I am blown away by the sense of pride. We have mostly been working with some of the genocide survivors who have taken in their fair share of orphaned children and help feed some of their neighbors, build an outdoor kitchen garden. This consists of digging out dirt and putting in 3 rings of soil, doing this with wood cut and shaped by machetes. It's once again very interesting to see the "tools" we use to build the gardens. I will post some pictures. We were called " the rockstar group" by the Rwandans because we finished 2 kitchen gardens before lunch....which is an all time record.
I have to say as well how much I enjoy my time at the Covaga Coop. This is a project that helps to empower the women to support their families financially. They make these incredible baskets out of the reeds in the lake, dye them, and then weave them into these amazing baskets. They love sharing stories and their skills with us. Even with the enormous language barrier, you can really connect with these women. They also bring their little children with them to the "office" and we have had so much fun playing with them. In fact all the children in the village are a blast to get to know.
Summary of the trip so far...lost luggage and 24 hour reroute aside, it is fascinating to see the work of previous trips (both Softchoice and DWC) and the connections made, seeing a village with so little with confidence to be as progressive as they are, and how self sufficient the children are and how everyone comes together to take such care of one another. Our team is getting along great and we have had so much fun getting to know each other. I am the official token American with this group of Canadians and my official Rwandan name is HB, since Heather is just a bit too hard to say :) and I love it! Xoxoxo
Heather Brown
DWC Participant
Rwanda, July 2012
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