rwanda country information

Country Profile:

Rwanda is a landlocked country located in the heart of Africa. It is an extraordinarily beautiful country often called "The Land of a Thousand Hills" because of the innumerable rolling hills that cover the entire landscape. The altitude ranges from 1000-4500m above sea level. It is the most densely populated country in Africa, with an average of 322 people/km2, which means you can seldom find a place where you don’t run into people!

Population:

8.2 million

Ethnic Groups:

This is a very sensitive topic (please read carefully). Through recent movies and books, people are becoming more and more aware of the horrific genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. This genocide was between the two main ethnic groups in Rwanda, the Hutus and the Tutsis. In light of this tragic history, the new government of Rwanda has taken large strides to bring unity back to this broken country. People no longer have Hutu or Tutsi stamped on their identity card, but every citizen is Rwandan. Interns must be aware that they should not ask people what ethnic group they are from, as this will only create unnecessary tension. Another item for interns to take note of is the political sector. Since the genocide, the entire political structure has changed. There is no longer any form of traditional leaders, community chiefs, or anything of that nature. The entire government is run by the elected government officials.

Languages:

Kinyarwanda is the language spoken by every Rwandese. In the city, you will find that many people also speak French, English, and/or Swahili, but in the rural areas, Kinyarwanda is the predominant language and it is the only language for the majority. Interns will have an interpreter available to them.

Religions:

Roman Catholic and traditional religions -- since the genocide, Evangelical religions have been on the rise.

History:

Rwanda gained independence from Belgian Colonialists in 1962. While the country was independent, the repercussions of life under a colonial power continued to wreak havoc on Rwanda’s attempt to move forward. The Colonialists had created a great divide between two people groups: the Hutu and the Tutsi, and conflict between these two groups raged off and on until the horrific genocide eventually took place in 1994. The following is a clip from the Government of Rwanda website:

Eleven years ago, "the Government of Rwanda began the difficult task of rebuilding the country. In 1994, no schools, hospitals, factories and government departments were functioning. Public utilities like telephones, electricity and water were also not functioning. There was total displacement of the population, both internally and externally. There was no civil service and the government's administrative capacity had collapsed. Civil servants had either been killed during the genocide or had fled the country. Survivors of the genocide were still scattered all over the country and traumatized. Genocide had further polarized the Rwandan society.

The Government of National Unity and the Rwandese people, with some support from the International community, have registered progress in the difficult process of moving from emergency to long-term development."

Rwandans have come an amazing distance since 1994 in rebuilding their country. Citizens have been repatriated, peace and reconciliation is taking place, and the economy and development is on the rise. There is a great future for Rwanda.

Economy:

Currency: Rwandan franc (frw)

GDP: 641 billion frw

Exchange Rate to USD: 560 frw for check, 570 frw for cash

Despite fantastic strides since the complete economic decimation in 1994, Rwanda still ranks among the poorest countries in the world. Over 60% of the population lives below the national poverty line, with 42% living in extreme poverty. However, Rwanda has made significant progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. The government of Rwanda has embarked upon an ambitious privatization program with the World Bank. With a comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and Vision 2020, the government and the people of Rwanda are making huge leaps towards development.

The fact that Rwanda is landlocked offers few opportunities for utilization of national resources. Primary exports are tea and coffee. Main food crops include Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, cassava, sorghum, maize, and plantain. Locally produced products include cigarettes, soap, plastics, and textiles. The economy has grown steadily at an average of 11%, while gross domestic incomes have grown at an average of 14.3% per annum since 1995. The government is also implementing structural adjustment programs which aim to eliminate public sector inefficiency and waste, and strengthen the economy.

Most sectors of the economy have surpassed pre-war productivity levels. The main towns around the country have been experiencing an unprecedented construction boom, evidence of confidence in the economy by investors. Foreign direct investment from South Africa and the east African sub-region have also reached record highs.

History of FHI/Rwanda:

FHI began working in Rwanda in August of 1994 in response to the overwhelming needs resulting from the genocide. The initial focus was to provide emergency relief, trace and reunite children with their families - Child WINS (Children Within Natural Social Structures), assist child-headed households, repatriate refugees, construct shelters, agricultural rehabilitation, and others in the prefectures of Gitarama, Gisenyi, and Kibungo. However, since 2000, the nature of programs has changed significantly, focusing on sustainable, long term, people-led community development.

FHI focuses on five main sectors of development: agricultural production/natural resource management; water and sanitation; primary health care; HIV-AIDS prevention, care and support; education; and income generation. FHI also provides developmental relief and rehabilitation for communities and regions experiencing or recovering from natural disasters. The programs currently running in Rwanda include Child Development Program (CDP), Child-Headed Households (CHH), Church Development, Bringing Hope (BH) for persons living with HIV/AIDS, Integrated Community Engagement (ICE), and our newest program, DAP (Development Action Plan), in partnership with World Vision, focusing on nutritional education.

Practicum Overview:

Team 1:

Week 1 -- Orientation Workshops, HIV-AIDS Projects, CDP projects (Kigali)
Weeks 2-4 -- Gitarama Province (11 students)

Team 2:

Week 1 -- Orientation Workshops, HIV-AIDS Projects, CDP projects (Kigali)
Weeks 2-4 -- Umutara Province (4 students)

Preparatory Week:

Orientation (1st week)
When students arrive, they will have one-week of orientation in Kigali prior to field placement for three weeks.

(DAY 1) Cultural Orientation: An FHI team coordinator will give an orientation on the history, culture and situations of Rwandan children and what churches are doing in Children Ministry (challenges, opportunities and the need for incarnational ministry in serving the whole person). As part of the teaching aid, slide shows and documentary videos will be followed by discussion.
(DAY 2) Visitation #1: HIV-AIDS program: A visit to the National HIV/AIDS consortium.
(DAY 3 - 4) Orientation and workshops that will prepare students to work at their field sites--2 or 3 day orientation in Kigali: FHI holistic, incarnational approach to meeting physical and spiritual needs.
(DAY 5) Visitation #2: Rwandan National Monuments, (National Museum and monuments to the genocide victims) This will help introduce students to the country, people and culture.

De-briefing:

At the end of the practicum, there will be time to share experiences and present findings (1 day).

Specific requirements for practicum students placed on FHI/Rwandan field:

Openness to local foods (repetitive and bland)
Patience (for slowness of life)
Enthusiasm in working with leaders, families, and churches
Adaptability to communal life and very little personal privacy e.g. shared meals and bedroom/bathrooms (pit latrines)
Creativity expected in teaching children and training Sunday school teachers with materials available locally
Empathy/sympathy for children who are victims of HIV/AIDS
Desire to communicate Christ cross-culturally
Openness to learn from other cultures
Courage to transform values
Teachable heart to learn from local people

Medical facilities:

There are small hospitals as well as many clinics in both Gitarama and Umutara that have the ability to treat any minor sickness or injury. If a serious emergency occurs that cannot be treated locally, King Faisal Hospital in Kigali has the capacity to treat most everything.

Emergency plans:

Students will be registered with the US Embassy upon arrival so it is aware they are in country. The FHI Staff Safety and Security Manual outlines policies and procedures. FHI staff will also be available to assist in the case of an emergency. The best hospital in the country is not more than 3 hours from any location in Rwanda.

Other information:

Responsible FHI/Rwandan staff: FHI project managers and training coordinators will be responsible for hosting students under the guidance of a team coordinator during the practicum field experience.
Students will be placed in communities in pairs.
Translators will help students communicate.
Students may need to secure appropriate funding to cover costs of teaching aids, crafts and handouts.