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Rwanda Resource Pack

Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda. In an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. Rwanda's tragic history has been well documented over the more recent years; a history of bloodshed brought about by political strife and a power struggle between aboriginal groups. The genocide of Rwanda was one of the most intensive killing campaigns in human history.

Since 1994, Rwanda has been working to climb out of the shadow of the past. The mass killings left thousands upon thousands of children homeless and forced to live in orphanages. Great work has been undertaken over the years to help these children, and to date some 5000 orphans have found homes and 70 orphanages have closed. Thankfully Rwanda has mostly passed the point of needing emergency aid, but the genocide will have long lasting consequences for years to come and there is much work still to be done. For the government, the focus in Rwanda is on a transition to economic development and the development of a broad-based civil society, but as a people, they have already grown from their past to create a lively and vivid culture who shares a common goal; to live as one people.

Volunteers have the opportunity to help with social development in rural communities, choosing between 3 projects involving teaching, caring for orphans and working on a goat project. Volunteers can make a valid and long lasting contribution to a community, not only by passing on knowledge, but also by letting the Rwandan people know that the world has not abandoned them.

.: Easy Facts

For the Rwanda Easy Fact Sheet, click here.

.: Further Reading

Rwanda, 10 Years Later: Justice Is Elusive, Despite Peace, Stefan Lovgren, National Geographic News, April 6th 2004: Every time I visited Rwanda after the 1994 genocide-during my years as a reporter covering Africa-it was like entering a world askew from the verve and vim of the rest of the continent.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0406_040406_rwandagenocide.html

For Refugee Children, Home Is A Changing Concept, Hillary Mayell, National Geographic News, March 9th 2004: For many children in the world, their last memory of home is of being roused from sleep in the middle of the night, bundled into whatever clothing comes quickly to hand, and running and hiding to escape marauding raiders, bombs, fires, and gunshots.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0309_040309_angelinajolieposter.html

.: Country Profile

For Rwanda's country profile, click here.

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