A Small Country in Africa Called Rwanda

by Lama Mugabo

From July to August 2006, I had the privilege to work with senior managers in the DIS (Decentralization and Implementation Secretariat) within the Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Social Affaires, MINALOC in Rwanda. My work consisted in developing a framework through which Canadian and Rwandan municipalities could collaborate to strengthen the capacity of Rwandan local governments for sustainable development.

The initiative was to explore ways Rwandans in the Diaspora could play a role in rebuilding Rwanda through collaborative action to build a bridge for knowledge exchange between Rwandans inside the country and those who live outside Rwanda; Switzerland, France, Belgium, USA, Canada, etc. My work as the founder of an organization whose mission was to align Canadian expertise and Rwanda’s local development action fit well with the goals of this initiative.

Working at MINALOC allowed me to engage in a daily conversation with a diversity of actors: government, youth, women, educators, and business. The exposure gave me a unique perspective in understanding the new Rwanda as it emerged from the nightmare of 1994. I was impressed by the significance for articulating a long-term development vision as a roadmap to rebuilding a new society. A society where education was not perceived as a privilege for the few, but an intrinsic right for all Rwandans. I was encouraged by the new opening I saw among Rwandans, the understanding that in the absence of an abundance of natural resources, Rwanda was to be rebuilt by the capacity of its people through intensive skill training.

One of the highlights of my term at DIS was attending a performance review session that gathered leaders from the central government, local government civil society, business and the academia. For two days, mayors from the five provinces articulated their challenges and opportunities in implementing local development actions. The discussion that ensued was conducted in a spirit of national reconstruction that was indicative of a society that is determined to build on past mistakes and forge a new direction.

Sometime during the proceedings Minister G. Murenzi (Education and Technology) introduced Margee Ensign, Dean, School of International Studies, University of the Pacific. This American professor stated that she was impressed by the work they were doing to rebuild their society. She pointed out that she was inspired by what Rwanda was doing and considered it as a model that other societies in transition could emulate.

Min. Murenzi went on to explain how Magee Ensign came to Rwanda.

“A group of American academics interested in advancing the awareness of African issues in the US met to explore ways they could engage Americans gaining a contextual understanding of African issues. They talked about the plight of Darfur and other tragedies affecting the African people and decided to write a book. Suddenly someone asked a question:
“Why do we always talk about Africa from a problematic perspective? Can’t we talk about positive things that are happening on the continent?”
“Are there any positive examples that you know?” someone asked.
“You bet there are.” Everyone turned to the speaker anxious to hear the examples.
“There is a small country in the heart of the continent called Rwanda, that is worth looking at.”
“Rwanda?”, someone ask. “Is that where there was a genocide about a decade ago?”
“Yes, it is. You need to take a look at it. It is remarkably rising from its tragic past in a way that it might serve as a positive example.” They all agreed that someone should travel to Rwanda see for himself or her self and write about it. The good professor was in the country meeting different people interviewing them and was writing a book that might eventually be made into a documentary.

As I listened to the story, my heart was filled with joy. I was comforted by the fact that the work that Rwandans had done in the previous twelve years was beginning to generate fruits and that the world was paying attention.