IJABO RIDUHE IJAMBO - DIGNITY IS OUR STRENGTH

Fifteen years ago a young army of very determined Rwandans put an end to a genocide that should never have happened, and could have easily been prevented, while many individuals, institutions and nations watched passively.

That was then.

Today, even for Rwandans who refused to accept that their country was “non viable” as had been declared by some in 1994, the country’s evolution has defied expectations.

Those corpse-filled dirt roads have been turned into avenues of opportunity. For the past six years the economy has grown in double digits, foreign direct investment in the manufacturing and service sectors has increased year on year, and agriculture is thriving. All this is evidenced by an ever changing Kigali city skyline and increasing number of visitors flocking into many parts of Rwanda for business, leisure and tourism which is now a top foreign exchange earner.

The place they call ‘the land of a thousand hills’ is today one of the safest countries in Africa. The people of Rwanda are motivated by leadership firmly rooted in good governance, commitment to consensus building, the rule of law and gender equality. Together, Rwandans are changing a once devastated country into a nation determined to succeed.

Rwandans who had had been taught to look upon each other with hate and suspicion are seeing the fruits of reconciliation and rallying behind a common vision. Children, who previously had no hope for an education because of discrimination and poverty, are going to school thanks to a policy of meritocracy and tuition-free basic education. Thousands of young Rwandans who had to compete for less than 500 places at post secondary institutions now have over ten universities and scores of technical schools to choose from. Adults who depended on government for jobs are creating jobs for themselves and many others.