Tag Archives: Rwanda

Supporting Mothers Beyond Birth: Alphonsine’s Story

I visited Rwanda in 2013 to partner with teachers and students at the SOS Children’s Village primary and tech schools in Kigali. I’m again staying at SOS, and it has been priceless to see my colleagues and friends again.

Professionally, I am continuing to follow-up on Save the Mothers work, though I agreed to complete a few communications projects for Kigali’s SOS Children’s Village over the course of my short, one-week stay.

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An open letter to pre-Rwanda Meagan…

Dear [insert starry-eyed traveler here],

A year ago today, I was feverishly packing my bags to go to Rwanda. Tomorrow, the same program and advisor that I traveled with is escorting a new group of students on the trip of a lifetime.

Instead of hashing plans to sneak on their plane (which I can hardly refrain from doing), I’ve been reminiscing about my experience and more specifically, what I would do differently.

While I don’t believe you can ever fully prepare for an experience abroad, there are some things that I would advise my fellow travelers to remember and consider.

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Media in Rwanda – Reflections 20 years later

I’ve been anxiously anticipating this week since I returned from Rwanda nearly 10 months ago.

Genocide memorial where over 250,000 were buried in Rwanda's capital, Kigali.
Genocide memorial where over 250,000 were buried in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.

While I’ll never forget the reflective faces and flowered memorials that marked the 19th anniversary of Rwanda’s genocide, somehow this year’s 20th mark has me even more tangled.

Somehow my mind irrationally accepts that the international community has not changed “only” 19 years after the systematic killing of over 800,000 Rwandans beginning April 7, 1994.
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