Out of the Ashes

Rwanda is a beautiful country and is much more than just the gorillas.  The people are content and productive now, the farms go up to the top of the mountains.  The people mostly walk everywhere, there are few bicycles, motocycles, and public buses but most people walk.  They also carry everything to and from their villages. . .giant bags of potatoes, long pieces of wood, water jugs,  and everything else imaginable.  Most of the carrying is done on the women's heads!  I was in awe of all that they could carry on the top of their heads and turn have conversations with their walking partner.  Jeanna said her poor little wimpy neck would snap at the strain of 3 potatoes (small red ones).

Our first stop in Kigali was to the Genocide Memorial Center.  That was a sobering experience mostly because the Belgiums first introduced a superficial classification of Rwandans, those that looked more European were Tutsi and those who looked more African were Hutu.  The Tutsi's were in power for a long time and then the Hutu's gained power.  The Hutu government started a media campaign against the Tutsi, all the while planning the great genocide.  The media portray the Tutsi as the cause of all the problems in Rwanda and if they were only gone the country would be perfect.  The genocide lasted 3 months and millions of Tutsis were slaughtered. . .mostly with clubs and machetes because they were cheaper and can be more readily distributed.  No Tutsi was spared in the raids. . .men, women and children were tortured and killed for no other reason than they have been given a designated status of either Hutu or Tutsi. . . they were both Rwandans, mostly of the same religion. . . it was calculated and of the cruelest nature.

The experience has made me stop and think of what can happen when people are designated as "other", there is a slippery slope that can happen especially with the media promoting the differences of the "other".  I cringe now at the verbage of the political pundits who spew almost hatred of each other.  I say "Really?" don't we share more characteristics with each other than differences?  We said never again after the Holocaust and it has happened again and again and again.  We think we would be smarter and we could never fall victim to a media blitz that marginalizes a group of people.  We are certainly not look at the media against gays and lesbians and most recently Hispanics.  People fall for the propaganda hook line and sinker. . .do you really think I am that much different than you?  Okay. .. off my soap box and on to the rising of the Rwandan Phoenix

We visited a basket and jewelry making center that was started by two sisters to help women and young girls displaced by the Genocide.  They started out very small and now run a pretty big organization.  The baskets are made from women in the countryside and the necklaces and bracelets from the women in the city.

Most of the women we saw were HIV positive and needed to work at the center because they also get fed.  They cannot take their medicine on an empty stomach because it is not as effective.

These beads are made from scrap paper rolled into bead shapes and then lacquered all different colors.  The women string them into necklaces and bracelets.  They keep 80% of all the money made from their product and the center keeps 20%.

These are the fibers that the beautiful baskets are made from, they are dyed many colors and stored until they can be used.

They danced for us as well left and there was true joy on their faces!  They are happy to be given a skill that can sustain them and their families.  The center has been awarded contracts from Macy's and Anthropologie to supply baskets and jewelry!  Now they can help even more women in Rwanda.

The country seems to be rising from the horrors of the Genocide and it is an amazing place. . .I wish them good leadership and much prosperity for all the people.