Rwanda
Nyamata, Rwanda
A young Rwandan teacher, Nyamata, Rwanda.
This young teacher had a difficult start to life in Burundi and Rwanda. Losing both her parents at a young age, she became the head of a child-headed household (some 40,000 child-headed families exist in Rwanda, due to the impact of the 1994 genocide and HIV). She came to the attention of the UK charity, Hope and Homes for Children, who provided her with a variety of emotional and practical support to enable her to realise her goal of becoming a teacher. Today, she is living an independent and successful life and very much enjoying her new job working as a local primary school teacher.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for Hope and Homes for Children, Rwanda. The charity’s mission is “to give hope to the poorest children in the world – those who are orphaned, abandoned or vulnerable – by enabling them to grow up within the love of a family and the security of a home, so that they can fulfil their potential”.
Virunga Mountains, Rwanda
Pyrethrum growing on the lower slopes of Mount Bisoke.
Pyrethrum is a plant in the same genus as the daisy and is cultivated for its flowers. The flower heads contain compounds called pyrethrins, a naturally evolved insect defence which attack the nervous systems of all insects (including mosquitoes). Pyrethrins are regarded as the some of the safest insecticides available, as unlike many man-made pesticides, they rapidly biodegrade rather than accumulating in the tissue of mammals. Pyrethrum is an increasingly important export crop for Rwanda, and new techniques to improve the yield and quality of the crop are continually being tested.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for SPREAD, Rwanda. This USAID funded organisation works to enhance rural enterprise and agribusiness development, assisting Rwanda in deriving as much value from its agricultural produce as possible through the provision of technical assistance.
Kigali, Rwanda
Elizabeth Dearborn Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of The Akilah Institute for Women, Kigali, Rwanda
Elizabeth Dearborn Davis has been the driving force behind the establishment of ‘The Akilah Institute’, Rwanda’s first vocational training and leadership institute for women. She has been in Rwanda for several years working on projects concerning post-conflict reconciliation and human rights advocacy. In 2007, she founded a nonprofit organization in the United States to provide scholarships to street children in Rwanda, support an orphanage in Kigali, and organize reconciliation and conflict resolution conferences for genocide survivors and high school students. In 2008, she was selected as a StartingBloc fellow and recently received the Woman of Peace award from the Women’s Peace Power Foundation.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for Project Akilah, Rwanda. An organisation whose mission is “to transform the lives of young women by empowering them with the skills and knowledge to find meaningful employment and to overcome poverty”.
Kinihira, Rwanda
Rukeni Swamp Tea Plantation, Sorwathe Tea Estate, Kinihira, Rwanda
Tea is one of Rwanda’s principal export crops. Tea is grown at high altitude (between 1,900 and 2,500 m) and also in well drained marshes (such as the Rukeni Swamp plantation, pictured above) at an altitude of between 1,550 and 1,800m. The major producing areas are Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, and Kibuye. Tea plantations must be located very near to a tea factory because the harvest has to be processed within just a few hours of picking.
Kigali, Rwanda
A bird of prey soaring high above Rwanda’s capita, Kigali, a very common site to see over the city on any late afternoon.
Rwanda is a country rich in biodiversity with an very large number of resident bird species. Over 700 species have been observed, with the country hosting 25 of the 37 species endemic to the magnificent Albertine Rift (a montane forest environment which stretches from Western Rwanda into Uganda and the Democractic Republic of Congo).
Nyamata, Rwanda
Skulls of genocide victims, crypt of the Nyamata Catholic Church, Nyamata, Bugesera, Rwanda
During Apr to July 1994, Rwanda experienced an event of genocide which resulted in the killing of hundreds of thousands of Rwanda’s Tutsis (and a much smaller number of Hutu political moderates). The genocide was planned and perpetrated by the Hutu dominated government of Juvénal Habyarimana under the ‘Hutu Power’ ideology of ethnic superiority. Over the course of approximately 100 days, between 800,000 and 1,000,000 men, women and children were killed, principally by Hutu militias being directed by a Hutu political grouping known as the Akazu.
The event sent a shockwave through the region, leading to the invasion of Rwanda (from Uganda) by forces of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and ultimately to the overthrow of the Hutu regime in July 1994, 100 days after the genocide started. In the aftermath of the RPF invasion, approximately 2 million of ethnic Hutu Rwandas fled the country (many into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo), forming vast refugee camps close to Rwanda’s western border. The destabilising impact of the genocide and refugee crisis upon the wider region, was a principal contributor to the First Congo War and Second Congo War, which together resulted in the deaths of more than 4 million people (mostly by disease and starvation) between 1996 and 2003.
The above picture is taken in the crypt of Nyamata Catholic Church where at least 10000 people were gathered seeking shelter from the genocide. Between Apr 14 and 19 militias attacked the church, using machetes, nail-studded clubs, and hand grenades to attempt to slaughter everyone inside. A very small number of people survived both this attack (by hiding under the piles of dead bodies) and the wider genocide to recount the story of what happened at Nyamata.
Today, the Nyamata Catholic Church is one of Rwanda’s most significant genocide memorials, a centre for both education and remembrance as Rwanda continues its efforts to reconcile and heal its society.
Bugesera, Rwanda
Tourists helping to prepare the midday meal at the Millennium Village, Bugesera, Rwanda
The Millennium Village Tour (part of the UN Millennium Villages Project – MVP) is a unique experience that introduces tourists to the development challenges of life in rural Rwanda. Visitors on the tour are introduced to many aspects of daily village life, including local agricultural techniques (e.g. being taught about the cultivation of cassava), education (e.g. a visit to a local school), health care (e.g. visiting the rural polyclinic), infrastructure (e.g. operating irrigation equipment), micro-enterprise development (e.g. basket weaving using sisal), and culinary activities (participating in the preparation of food).
The tour also includes a community gathering explaining how the village was impacted by the events of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, with both victims and perpetrators of the genocide giving their own accounts of the event, its lead-up and immediate aftermath, as well as more recent efforts to heal the wounds and build trust.
Visitors to the Millennium Village in Bugesera, directly assist 200 cooperative members (and indirectly benefit a wider community of 50000 people resident in nearby area), with 70% of tour proceedings going directly to the community itself for re-investment in the community development, education and health funds, as well as the production of local handicrafts.
Kigali, Rwanda
Shokola Restaurant, Kigali, Rwanda
One of the smartest places to eat in the Kiyovu district of Kigali.
Virungas National Park, Rwanda
Lower Slopes of the Virunga Mountains, Volcanoes National Park, Northern Rwanda
The stunning Virunga mountains which extend from north-west Rwanda into the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda are one of the country’s most precious natural resources. The montane forest of this landscape is the last home of the mountain gorilla (of which some 400 remain in Rwanda) and the entire national park is a site of international importance for its stunning biodiversity.
Kigali, Rwanda
Intore Dancer, Kigali, Rwanda
Intore is a traditional form of Rwandan dance performed by men, literally meaning ‘The Chosen Ones’, its origins are as a dance performed exclusively at the Royal Court of the Rwandan Mwami (King). The performance is by the Indashyikirwa dance troupe, a group of young orphans who with the support of Hope and Homes for Children in Rwanda have set up a very successful dance troupe that performs at weddings and other functions across Rwanda.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for Hope and Homes for Children, Rwanda. The charity’s mission is “to give hope to the poorest children in the world – those who are orphaned, abandoned or vulnerable – by enabling them to grow up within the love of a family and the security of a home, so that they can fulfil their potential”.
Kigali, Rwanda
Market Traders, Kigali, Rwanda
Two young people who have recently set up their own stalls at Rwandan’s largest food market, Kimironko. These two orphans were given the support of Hope and Homes for Children in Rwanda to start their successful business.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for Hope and Homes for Children, Rwanda. The charity’s mission is “to give hope to the poorest children in the world – those who are orphaned, abandoned or vulnerable – by enabling them to grow up within the love of a family and the security of a home, so that they can fulfil their potential”.
Bicumbi, Rwanda
Coffee Beans Drying in the Sun, Bicumbi, Rwanda
Coffee is an extremely important export crop for Rwanda, one which contributes a valuable source of foreign revenue. Over recent years the country has been working hard to improve the quality of its coffee as well as the sustainability of its production. Today, Rwandan coffee is available as a specialist coffee in markets around the world.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for SPREAD, Rwanda. This USAID funded organisation works to enhance rural enterprise and agribusiness development, assisting Rwanda in deriving as much value from its agricultural produce as possible through the provision of technical assistance.
Lake Muhazi, Rwanda
Lake Muhazi, Eastern Province, Rwanda
A view of one of Rwanda’s largest lakes. The ‘land of 1000 hills’ (average elevation 1400+ metres) enjoys high and relatively reliable levels of rainfall. Nevertheless managing the use of water resources carefully is important, in order to cope with episodic periods of drought.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for SPREAD, Rwanda. This USAID funded organisation works to enhance rural enterprise and agribusiness development, assisting Rwanda in deriving as much value from its agricultural produce as possible through the provision of technical assistance.
Bugasera, Rwanda
Disused Classroom, Bugesera, Rwanda
The 1994 genocide saw a widespread dislocation of all parts of Rwandan society. During and after this time, many public institutions fell into disuse. This photograph is taken on the campus of a former technical college in Bugesera province, one of the most badly affected areas of Rwanda. Project Akilah is working to transform the site into “the first vocational and leadership training institute for young women in Rwanda”.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for Project Akilah, Rwanda. The organisations’s mission is to “transform the lives of young women by empowering them with the skills and knowledge to find meaningful employment and to overcome poverty”.
Masaka, Rwanda
Chilli Peppers, Masaka, Rwanda
Chillies are are a new and somewhat experimental export crop for Rwanda. Because of Rwanda’s landlocked status and its distance from the principal export markets a staggering 6 metric tonnes of dried chillies have to be prepared and packed before it is economic for them to be transported by air. Nevertheless, Rwanda has high hopes that the crop will be a success and assist in diversifying its agricultural sector.
From a set of pro bono photography I did for SPREAD, Rwanda. This USAID funded organisation works to enhance rural enterprise and agribusiness development, assisting Rwanda in deriving as much value from its agricultural produce as possible through the provision of technical assistance.
Nyungwe, Rwanda
Early Morning Mists, Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda
An area of highland montane forest ordering the Democratic Republic of Congo that is rich with birdlife and primates, Nyungwe is surely one of the most stunning landscapes on the African continent. Over recent years, Rwanda has been working hard to sensitively develop Nyungwe as a tourist destination.