“I encourage future generations to avoid divisions, genocide ideology, hatred, and any influence from individuals who promote harmful ideas that could lead to violence. I will pass on to my children the values of love, unity, and mutual understanding. I am deeply grateful to our country for having worked to eliminate discrimination among Rwandans.”
“Before the Genocide, I observed that people lived together peacefully. They loved one another, shared what they had, exchanged livestock, and married one another; their tribe was of no concern.
Although there were no targeted individuals in my village as it was predominantly Hutu, I saw the effects of violence through looting which deeply troubled me, seeing people taking another person’s cattle, household belongings, and even dismantling their homes to carry away roofing materials. These acts of looting often took place after the owners had already been killed. At times, perpetrators would come to our home and recount the names of those they had killed – including children I had studied with. This caused me profound sorrow and emotional pain, and I felt powerless to do anything about it.
Today, I see progress in unity and reconciliation. As a savings group facilitator, I value the trust placed in me and see how groups support healing and development. In addition, the training we received has been instrumental in strengthening our journey toward self-development. In particular, the psychosocial and trauma-healing training has enabled me to better understand myself and others, and has equipped me with the skills to support individuals who are experiencing emotional and psychological wounds.