From Rwanda.
Imagine a country where one day each month, every inhabitant, from the Government downwards is involved in some kind of social action, whether it be cleaning litter from the streets, or doing some other kind of community action. Inconceivable? Unimaginable? Not in Rwanda. Umuganda (social action) is mandatory for every citizen.
As part of the Umubano (fellowship) programme, I and 35 volunteers, were given the chance to particpate in Umuganda, Our task was to clear bushes and long grass from a forest, as it was a haven for 'unsavoury elements' (such as drug users), who were using the unwieldy undergrowth as cover from the police.
What was really fascinating was that it was not just the local community involved in the Umuganda, but the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. After the Umuganda was over, the whole community met in the woods for an open air 'town hall' type meeting, in which local politicians talked about the importance of family planning and hygiene. It was a remarkable experience. The whole purpose of Umuganda was not just social action, but also to bring people together - to unify.
There are over one hundred Conservative volunteers here offering expertise in every walk of life, from justice, to finance to education. My own project centres around education, where I have to teach English to fifty adult English students every day for a minimum of six hours. Every day, I and seven other volunteers (other volunteers are teaching around Rwanda) travel to a remarkable state boarding school in Kigali, where hundreds of teachers have gathered to be taught by us, in order to improve their English teaching skills. The teachers are intelligent, hungry for knowledge and determined to be part of the new Rwanda. Every day we drill the teachers with vocabulary, pronunciation and give them topics to discuss. For the most part their grammar is excellent and their technical knowledge puts many of us to shame.
One of the most moving moments for us came on the first day, when we handed every student an English Dictionary. Organised by Andrew Mitchell, hundreds of dictionaries were flown from Gatwick to Kigali. English dictionaries are rare in Kigali and are literally treasured by the Rwandan teachers, who were quick to write their individual names on every copy. Our contribution may be modest, but it is better than doing nothing at all.
Everyone knows Rwanda because of the genocide, yet this is a country that is determined to learn from the past, rather than live in the past. Its genocide memorials are places of sensitivity, rather than vengeance, designed to inform rather than propagandise.
Across the country, people are passionate about becoming educated and transforming Rwandan society. The Government's own objectives are education, education, education, to unify the country from ethnic division, build a stable and free economy and create some kind of social cohesion. Added to this is a huge concern for the environment - plastic bags are banned in Rwanda and litter is rare. Where possible glass bottles and other items are recycled. After seeing Rwanda, don't let anyone tell you that developing countries are not interested in protecting the environment. Moreover - and unexpectedly - crime is relatively low. I have no qualms about jumping in a taxi here, or even walking main streets at night - not something I would have done in wealthy and prosperous Johannesburg, a place I visited only in March this year.
Rwanda is not a country you just visit, it is a place that you can't
help be captivated by. Bit by bit you get drawn in, to the history,
the culture and the people. It is called the land of a thousand hills,
but it has many more, as it is landlocked. Yet each hill has its own
unique and special view. It is not hard to find beauty.
It is hard to conceive that a country that has suffered such tragedy,
so recently, has made such strides to transform life for its citizens.
In making such progress, so quickly, the Rwandans are determined to
show that genocide and ethnic hatred can be defeated, not just in
Rwanda, but across the world. To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, Rwanda is
making small steps forward - but giant leaps for mankind.
