Learn about Rwanda
Learn About Rwanda
To have a solid understanding of where Liberty University is going with the G5 Rwanda initiative, it is important to have an understanding of where Rwanda has come from, as well as how the country has shaped to where it is today. You’ve undoubtedly heard of the devastating genocide that took the lives of more than 800,000 people in just 100 days in 1994, and you may even be aware of its location as a land-locked country in east Africa.
But do you know it was one of the first countries in the world to ban plastic bags? Are you aware of that Rwanda is one of only three countries in the world where the critically endangered mountain gorilla lives? Did you know Rwanda has the world’s highest representation of women in parliament?
Read on to continue to expand your understanding of this small African country.
Geography
Rwanda , officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a sovereign state in Central and East Africa and one of the smallest countries on the African mainland. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda is in the African Great Lakes region and is highly elevated;its geography is dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the east, with numerous lakes throughout the country. The climate is temperate to subtropical, with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year.
Interesting Facts
- It’s one of the cleanest countries in Africa, if not the world. Umuganda is held on the last Saturday of each month, where all residents, including the President, Paul Kagame, participate in community cleaning projects.
- Not only is there a national cleaning day each month, but Rwanda was the first country in the world to ban plastic bags, significantly lowering the environmental damage caused by plastic waste.
- Rwanda is a leader in women’s rights. It has the world’s highest representation of women in parliament, and is one of the only two countries in the world with more than 50% of women represented. By comparison, the UK, Australia and USA all have less than 30%.
- It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with more than 12 million people sharing a land area of 26,340 km2.
- It is rated the safest country in Africa and fifth safest in the world with it’s low crime rate.
- It is know as the Land of a Thousand Hills due to its intensely mountainous terrain. It has five volcanoes, 23 lakes, steep rice terraces, lush tea plantations, a savannah reserve and a number of rivers, including some that form the source of the Nile.
The Genocide and Recovery
The 1994 genocide was more complicated and horrific than you probably realized. Like most foreigners from the outside looking in, you probably know the facts: more than 800,000 people massacred in 100 days and many more injured, displaced or forced into refugee camps. But when you look beyond the internationally reported facts and visit some of the memorials that exist throughout the country, you realise the personal stories, extent of the brutality and the tales of betrayal are incomprehensible and completely heart breaking.
Understanding the decades of division and instability that culminated in the genocide, as well as the specific events that took place in 1994 is important for any traveller in Rwanda – not only to respect the country’s history but to appreciate the spirit of a nation that is reconciling, reunifying and rebuilding at an inspiring rate.
It isn’t difficult to understand a thirst for revenge after the 1994 genocide, but Rwanda’s leaders are trying to break the dangerous cycle of ‘hatred breeds hatred’. Balancing a focus on the future with giving its people time, support and tools to heal has proven to be an effective approach. One of these tools is the introduction of reconciliation villages where, incredibly, perpetrators and survivors co-exist in an environment that facilitates remorse and forgiveness. The effectiveness of these villages speaks volumes for the spirit and character of the Rwandan people.