Planting the Seeds of Reconciliation
Twenty-eight years after the start of its genocide, in which some 800,000 people were killed, Rwanda is rebuilding with hope and shining with a new light. Speaking at a commemoration ceremony in 2019, President Paul Kagame said, "Our bodies and minds bear amputations and scars, but none of us is alone. We Rwandans have granted ourselves a new beginning. We exist in a state of permanent commemoration, every day, in all that we do ... Today, light radiates from this place."1
With the help of NGOs, non-profits, and the citizens of Rwanda, President Kagame and his government have managed to bring Rwandans back together as a community.
After being in Kigali for several days and meeting with various organizations, as part of a university study abroad group, we met with GER-Rwanda (Global Initiative for Environment and Reconciliation). GER-Rwanda is a peace-building and community development organization with a mission statement that supports existing reconciliation processes, promotes community recovery, fights injustice, fosters social cohesion and improves environmental conditions. These aspirations are made reality when individuals work together, are held accountable, are transparent, and are inclusive of all community members. GER-Rwanda brings people of all walks of life together, including the survivors and perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and their children.2
Our journey begins in Kigali, Rwanda's capital. We are met at our hotel by two GER representatives, Innocent and David. Both are eager to share with us what the organization has done to help the country heal from its violent past. As we drive two hours southeast towards a small village called Gashora, located in the Bugesera district, we are struck by the reality of what over half of the Rwandan population faces every day. Poverty is prevalent all around us as we turn down a long dirt road that leads towards Gashora. On both sides of us are trenches that seem to go on for miles. Inside are men, women, and children excavating with whatever tools available, what seems to be a drainage ditch.
When we arrive at Gashora, we are greeted by smiling children, excited to see umuzungu, which translates to “white person” in the Kinyarwanda language. We gather in a circle with community members in the grass to hear first-hand how GER is changing communities for the better. The community facilitator leads our discussion, emphasizing the importance of including young people in healing dialogue. He explains how intergenerational trauma is affecting nearly all those young people born after the genocide, including those born from rape. Through purposeful interactions, youth are being empowered as they learn about the truth of their county’s history and the role that their families played in the genocide, either as perpetrators or victims. By learning the truth and making connections, the community is breaking down the stereotypes that divide people and are working to build mutual trust. That is the solid foundation of Bugesera village, and it was built by the resilience of its members.3
Eventually, a man stands up and says, “Hello, my name is Innocent, and I was a perpetrator of genocide.” He explains how he first moved to the community with the help of GER in hopes of obtaining forgiveness from the families of the victims he brutally murdered during the 100 days of killing. As he sits, the woman next to him stands up and introduces herself to the group. She states that she is a survivor, but that her family was murdered during the genocide. As she starts her testimony, she informs the group that the man sitting next to her is the person that killed her family. If at any time there was doubt that the GER was promoting healing for the perpetrators, victims, and their children, it was immediately gone. How could this woman sit next to the person that murdered her family, and laugh with him as if nothing happened? Perhaps, this is something outsiders might never understand. Nevertheless, it is forgiveness and moving forward that seem to promote peace amongst the Rwandan people.
After our more formal gathering with the community members, we hopped back in the bus to see for ourselves all that was being done to better the community. We drove for about 15 minutes before arriving at a small house with a big garden. The owner of that house (a perpetrator of genocide), was so happy to show us all of his thriving vegetables! Holding up the beets he had just pulled out of the ground, he beamed with pride. Because of GER and their generous contribution of a water tank and irrigation system, that garden has been able to thrive and do more than just solve food problems and malnutrition in the village. The holistic approach they use is grounded in the belief that community reconciliation should not only be done through open and transparent dialogue, but that dialogue should be facilitated in conjunction with development activities that increase income and improve livelihoods for all. When individuals participate in activities like farming and gardening, it contributes to the education of their children, improves hygiene conditions, and betters environmental health. The outcomes of such activities are not limited to community development, they also help people to improve their interpersonal relations and restore mutual trust by working side-by-side. Perpetrators say that working together with genocide survivors has facilitated their reconciliation and improved their broken relationships.4
That is the beauty of the work that GER does. They have created a culture within small communities like Gashora, focused on giving. “I have planted a vegetable, I will give you the seeds it produces, and you can plant too. We share the harvest, we celebrate our achievements together, and doing so removes suspicion and mistrust among us.”5
"Positive change is only possible if communities are empowered and engaged in the process".
-Innocent Musore; Founder of GER
Associated Press. (2019, April 7). 25 years after genocide, Rwanda has a new light, says leader. NBCNews.com. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/25-years-after-genocide-rwanda-has-new-light-says-leader-n991846
GER-Rwanda. globalr.org. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2022, from http://globalr.org/
Bugesera District, Rwanda. Emily Richins’ Personal notes. May 24, 2022.
Musore, I. (2020). The contribution of GER to support the Reconciliation Process in Rwanda; 2020. https://globalr.org/images/GER_report-_2021.pdf
Bugesera District, Rwanda. Emily Richins’ Personal notes. May 24, 2022.