Rwanda: Justice and Healing After Genocide
The story of Rwanda is one of immense pain & tragedy, but above all, it is a story about resilience. After the 100-day genocide of 1994 in which one million Rwandans were murdered, the people of Rwanda found themselves faced with immense challenges. How do we rebuild our communities? How can we help our survivors heal? What is to be done with the perpetrators? Can they ever be forgiven? By engaging with members of the Rwandan community, we will attempt to address these questions, while taking action to support them in their empowerment.
During this trip, students will engage with genocide survivors, perpetrators, community leaders, widows and orphans on issues of development, reconciliation, trauma rehabilitation, youth empowerment and sustainable peace building.
In following the Rwandan people on their path to justice and healing, we can begin to uncover answers about why the genocide happened and, most importantly, how we can ensure atrocities like these never happen again. Furthermore, Rwanda holds many lessons for us as peacemakers & ambassadors of social justice. It holds lessons about how conflict may destroy communities, but never the people’s capacity to rehabilitate, recover, develop, and build sustainable peace for the future. But perhaps the greatest lesson of all that can be drawn from the story of Rwanda is that, out of great suffering & tragedy, great hope can always be found.
We are looking for a group of dedicated & enthusiastic students who are actively involved in social justice and are passionate about service work. This trip will be particularly interesting for students concerned with issues of genocide, international development, peace & conflict resolution, post-conflict rehabilitation and are willing to form a long-term commitment to the Rwandan people.
Service & Community Engagement during the trip:
• Develop meaningful relationships with survivors of the genocide
• Participate in income-generating activities for widowed women & rape survivors
• Visits to youth villages & service projects with orphaned youth
• Witness trauma rehabilitation & reconciliation programs
• Visit local prisons & engage in dialogue with reformed genocide perpetrators
• Meetings & discussions with community leaders, justice officials, women activists and more
About The Leaders…
Liz Cheung is a junior studying International Studies and Secondary Education. Her interests lie in education as a form of development in African countries. Liz has traveled to China, Costa Rica, and Jamaica on service trips. She currently serves as the president of Chi Alpha Christian fellowship.
Katherine Hayes is a junior studying International Studies and Economics. Her interest in Rwanda has been motivated by her studies in both post-conflict development and social entrepreneurship. Katherine has participated in service trips through the Christian Appalachian Project over the last two years. She is actively involved in the Catholic Students Association.
Charlotte Nguyen has always dreamed of traveling to Rwanda & is immensely thankful for this opportunity! In the local D.C. area, she serves as program coordinator for Darfur Women Action Group & will work for the Committee on Conscience at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. On campus, she serves on the Women's Initiative, AU STAND, and Students for a Free Tibet. In her spare time, she studies International Relations & Philosophy.
Tentative Itinerary
Day 1
Depart for Kigali
Day 2
Arrive in Kigali
Trip Introduction
Day 3
Orientation to Kigali
Visit National Museum of Rwanda
Meet with Rwanda Partners
Settle into guesthouse
Day 4
Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre
Rwanda Partners
Meet with Rwanda Basket Company
Meet with women basket-weavers
Visit on-site farms & plantations
Day 5
Service Projects: building homes for widows, basket-weaving, reconciliation workshop training, farming, film projects, etc.
Forgiveness & reconciliation workshop
Bugesera village/market
Day 6
Service Projects
Forgiveness & Reconciliation workshop
Day 7
Service Projects
Forgiveness & Reconciliation workshop
Day 8
Service Projects
Nyamata Genocide Memorial
Day 9
Service Projects
Search for Common Ground
Observe the Youth Participatory Theatre for Conflict Transformation
Day 10
King’s Palace (Nyanza)
Lunch in Nyanza
Explore Butare
Day 11
Nyungwe National Park
Nature hike at National Park
Sightseeing
Day 12
Service Projects
Site Visit to Hotel des Milles Colines
Lake Kivu
Group Reflection at Lake
Day 13
Service Projects
Nyabiheke Refugee Camp
Meet with Congolese Refugees
Day 14
Huye region of Kigali
Exploration Huye
Karubanda Prison
Dialogue with from reformed prisoners
Day 15
Service Projects
National Service of Gacaca Jurisdiction
Observe gacaca session or trial
Day 16
Service Projects
Kigali City Council
Meet with City Council Representative
Day 17
National Park visit & hike
Day 18
National Unity & Reconciliation Commission
Meet with Peacebuilding & Conflict Management Program Representative
Observe Ingando - community peace center
Observe Itorero - leadership training
Attend student reconciliation club meeting
Meet & discuss with Abunzi - mediation committee
Day 19
Service Projects
Never Again Rwanda
Participate in Peace Facilitators Project Training
Day 20
Last day of service projects
Post-trip activism planning
Day 21
Last Day
Service Projects Presentation
Free time in Bugesera village
Dinner & goodbyes
Final group reflection
Day 22
Depart for Kigali Airport
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