By Amina Jillo & Shyat Lemoshira | Photos: Kenya High Commission in Rwanda

"Rwanda can be a paradise again, but it will take the love of the entire world to heal my homeland. And that's as it should be, for what happened in Rwanda happened to us all - humanity was wounded by the genocide" ~ Immaculee Ilibagiza.

The 2023 Spring Semester IRL4151 Field Study class recently returned from a 10-day trip to Rwanda where they learnt about Rwandan history, their plight of transformation and restoration from their grueling past.

The class took part in a series of talks and meetings arranged by Rwanda Cooperation with representatives from governmental and non-governmental institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MINAFFET), the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), IBUKA, an umbrella organization that caters and connect with genocide survivor associations, AOG Rwanda IGENZI Social Enterprise, Ministry of Justice and the Rwandan Cooperation itself. All these institutions emphasized how, with a common goal and vision of recovery a country’s challenges can be met with viable solutions.

The class also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial where they learnt about the History of the genocide against the Tutsis, the historical events leading to the genocide, the culmination of years of manipulation and discrimination and the aftermath. Towards the end of the trip they were able to go for a fun excursion to the Kings Palace Museum in Nyanza, where they learnt about the traditional Rwandan community and its rich colonial past and interactions with the Belgians, then to lake Kivu bordering Congo in the West where we took boat rides, swam and others indulged in lake side delicacies such as fish skewers and platters.

Ambassador Philip Githiora and the Kenyan High Commission in Rwanda welcomed the students to their mission in Kigali. Amb. Githiora provided experience as a civil servant and shared tips on patience and benefits of providing consistent performance in one’s profession.

It was truly an amazing experience where we not only learnt a great deal but also got to tour the city and the country as a whole. The class was accompanied on the trip by Dr. Nicomedus Minde, Prof Pauline Ndungu and John Riungu, course advisor for School of Humanities and Social Sciences.