June 23, 2010
Saturday June 19 2010 – Farewells
It is June 19 and the group is sad to say goodbye. We all promise to keep in touch. Everyone is on their way back home.
I reflect back on the week. It was an incredible trip connecting with the group members, all the staff at WfW, hotels and Primate Safaris.
I look forward to another trip back to Rwanda.
Friday June 18 2010 – Visits to Congo and Imbabazi Orphanage; Farewell Dinner with Berra of WfWI
June 18, we take a leisurely walk along Lake Kivu towards Congo. Upon arrival at border post, we make our way towards the Congo immigration office. I notice a stark difference from Rwanda in almost everything; dirtier streets, street vendors peddling. The most disturbing experience was at the passport control. We had to wait for almost an hour for no apparent reason and we later discovered that the agents were looking for a little bribe or baksheesh to expedite the process. We decided that since we had already wasted an hour what’s a few more minutes. We finally got our passports and took a brief walk around the town visiting Uhishi Hotel. All of us were anxious to leave Goma (Congo border town) as the immigration experience had left a very sour taste.
We crossed into Rwanda, saw Patrick with our jeep and we were on our way to Kigali. Along the way we made a stop at Imbabazi Orphanage. A place made famous by Rosamond Carr, an American expatriate who transformed her Rwandan flower shed into a refuge for children orphaned by genocide. In one of our 2009 visits, Craig Smith asked what the orphanage needed and he was told mattresses. Upon his return from the trip he reached out to Metta Journeys’ clients and raised funds that we forwarded to Imbabazi. They purchased mattresses that are being used by the young boys, some of the older kids took one to use in their boarding hostel and the rest are stored for future. After a brief tour and a chat with Emmanuel the director of the facility we continued on our way to Kigali.
The rest of the trip back was uneventful and we arrived at our hotel by early evening. Tonight our group dinner is at a new restaurant; Select which offers French and Belgian cuisine. We are joined at dinner by Berra Karamungi from WfW along with Denis Bikesha and our interpreters. Denis is part of the team that is working on the Gacaca Courts to offer reconciliation for acts of genocide.
Mr. Bikesha shared vital statistics regarding the proceedings. The police had detained almost 130,000 suspects based on interviews and eye-witness accounts. Initially they were tried in judicial courts but it was a slow process. Between 2000 and 2005, the government had prosecuted only 6000 cases. After reviewing this process, it was decided to implement the ‘gacaca courts’ which is a traditional way to solve disputes. In the past 3.5 years, the prosecution has tried 1.2 million counts of genocide offences. It was apparent from Denis’ comments that the current process was working and there was lot of progress. Denis completed his comments and we realized it was time for us to go.
The general consensus amongst the group was of appreciation and gratefulness.
Next – farewells
Thursday June 17 2010 – Gorilla Trekking!
It is 5:30am on June 17. The group is already at breakfast anxiously awaiting the jeeps that will transport them to Kinigi to the start the excursion. Patrick provides everyone with last minute instructions and he recommends that we hire the porter for $10.00 each. The porters play a very important role in the preservation of the silverback gorillas. These porters used to be poachers and their killing of the gorillas has led their extinction. The Rwandan government educated them and offered an opportunity to make a civilized living. The jeeps arrived and the group was off to see the gorillas.
I had the good fortune of seeing the gorillas in 2009 and felt that I should explore other site in the park. Connie, I and Hashmat drove to Virunga Lodge for an hour of relaxation. Virunga Lodge is an eco-friendly resort built atop a dormant volcano. The lodge offers incredible panoramic views of the rolling hills and lakes. We get a call from Patrick that the group was successful in visiting the Hirwa (means Lucky in Rwandan) family and were on their way back to the lodge. We were anxious to hear about their adventure and quickly drove back to the hotel. We made it just before everyone arrives. All I heard was ‘Amazing’, ‘OMG’, ‘It was so beautiful’. These comments sounded familiar as I said the same thing when I trekked.
After lunch we packed and prepared to head to Lake Kivu. Along the way we visited Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village which is locate in the shadow of Volcanoes National Park. Here, reformed poachers have come together to showcase the traditional Rwandan way of life.
Visitors can gain entrance for $20, and are treated to song and dance performances (which can go on for 30 minutes at a time), a tour of the village, including the King’s spacious abode, and various demonstrations from archery to grinding millet. There was much comic relief as Liam Dall of crowned King and Sara Groff was taken as the Queen. I was selected as the military chief.
We rolled into Gisenyi (Lake Kivu) by early evening. It had been a long day and so the group retired after dinner.
Next – Visit to Congo, Imbabazi Orphanage and Gacaca courts.
Wednesday June 16 2010 – Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide memorials & Mountain Gorilla View Hotel
It is Wednesday, June 16. We are off to visit Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide. In each of my visits to Rwanda, I have learnt something about the genocide that devastated this country. And in all the four years I have heard the same consistent message of reconciliation and forgiveness. To a person, the response is the same ‘Never Again’. It was this commitment and the forgiving nature that drew my respect and deep love for Rwanda. Patrick, one of our guides, starts to provide us with background on Ntarama. At least 5000 refugees including men, women and children sought safety in Ntarama church. Unfortunately the hatred propagated was so deep that the inhuman occurred. The Interhawame (youth militia) started killing everyone in the church. Their crimes against children were so atrocious that it is painful for me to describe them. The memorial has displayed bones and skulls of all who were killed along with an area where all the clothes are piled up. We pay our respect with a moment of silence, lay down a floral arrangement in the church and we are off to Nyamata.
The story is the same but the numbers are higher – there are almost 10,000 buried at Nyamata church. We spend time going through the entire church, pay our respect and prepare for a long drive to Ruhengeri, entrance to Volcanoes National Park. Throughout the drive, everyone is somber and reflective.
We arrive at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge in the late afternoon. The greenery, beautiful landscapes and inviting staff raise our spirits. The group meets at the bar where Paul, the owner of the lodge, is chatting away with the guests. He is so excited with the company that we did not even notice Didier walk in. He is a musician to perform this evening. He starts by singing a few African songs and then got us all jumping with his rendition of ‘Satisfaction’ by The Stones. Wow! We were so loud during the song that everyone joined in. Chris Jacobs and Janet Walkow started dancing. Pretty soon the entire group was dancing; well some of us were just moving our legs. But it was festive mood.
Soon after dinner, Didier had started singing more songs in the dining hall and we starting dancing around our tables. There were a few who did not appreciate the party that had started and retired to their room. Susan Opengart gathered all the dining and kitchen staff and soon we were all dancing. By the time the party was full force, the entire hotel staff was in the dining hall dancing with us. Picture, no videos are worth a thousand words. We will let you know when the video is uploaded. After hours of joyful dancing, we retired to our rooms.
It is going to be an early morning for Gorilla trekking.
Tuesday June 15 2010 – Women for Women – Life Skill Training classes, GAKO Organic Farm and Kayonza Farming Cooperative
It is Tuesday, June 15th and there is a buzz in the air. And then I notice the buzzing is coming from the T.V. and the soccer games. The group meets in the lobby and I sense excitement as today we are focusing on meeting the sisters in different stages of their training. We arrive at WfW compound and everyone is directed to one of life skills classes about to begin. The group has a choice to attend; a) Gender Equality b) Hygiene and nutrition c) Domestic Violence d) Home finances. The next couple of hours, we go through different classes. The life skills classes are over and as I look around I see each group member interacting with a sister or WfW staff. We prepare to go to GAKO Organic Farms
GAKO Organic Farm is run by a great individual named Richard. It is a training center for organic farming. WfW has partnered with GAKO to provide training for women in their program. It is an intensive 1 week training which prepares the women for agriculture. Agriculture is 80% of Rwanda’s GDP and is a significant industry for the locals. Richard shows us around the facility which grows spinach and pineapple, has livestock and dairy. It is an incredible training facility whose initiatives are now adopted by the Rwandan government.
After lunch, we are off to visit with Kayonza Farming Cooperative. This is a 400-member union that shares 400 acres farm area equally with each member. They farm potatoes, red chilies, cassava, beans and spinach. Each member owns a 400 sq. meters plot and it is their responsibility to nurture and harvest the fields. The cooperative harvest two or three times a year and sells to several wholesalers in the market. We are met at the field by 30 to 40 of the members along with their trainers who greet us with a traditional welcome dance. Mark who serves as the manager introduces the field training staff and provides us with details on the cooperative. Soon after, we break up into groups and go to review the crops in the field. We spend almost an hour going through the fields and listening to the members’ challenges and successes. It is evident from their stories that the cooperative is truly a team working and supporting each other.
It has been a long and fulfilling day. The memories of our experience will remain with us for a long time. Tonight we attend dinner at Heaven Restaurant and we are thrilled to be joined by our interpreters. We relive the events of the day. We have only one more day before trekking for the Silverbacks.
Next – Ntarama and Nyamata Genocide memorials & Mountain Gorilla View Hotel
Monday June 14 2010 – Visiting memorials + Women for Women
Monday, June 14 the group met in the hotel lobby for a short walk to the first memorial honoring 10 Belgian soldiers who were killed in April 1994. The buildings have been transformed into a shrine for the soldiers and a small museum showing the history of Rwandan genocide and the propaganda that fed the madness.
I was surprised to see Patrick, one of Metta Journeys’ local guides, lead the tour. It became apparent why Patrick was the person chosen to be the guide at this memorial. During the genocide, Patrick was a soldier for RFP fighting alongside Paul Kagame who was leading the attack against the government. Patrick had been captured and spent 3 weeks as a prisoner in this facility. He talked about his nightmare with a soft and forgiving voice. I stood there listening to him and feeling sad about such human atrocity. But I was absolutely amazed at Patrick’s demeanor and forgiveness. And from my past trips to Rwanda, this is clearly the message from the Rwandans to the whole world. I hear them say, don’t judge us by what happened in 1994, but support us of who we are now; one Rwanda, one language. There are no more Hutus, Tutsis or the Twas but one country united and working towards progress for all its citizens. As I think back to my first visit, I immediately remember that the forgiving and progressive attitude is why I fell in love with Rwanda.
We paid our respects to the soldiers and continued onto Kigali Memorial Center. Kigali Memorial is to honor all who died during the genocide. There are over 250,000 buried here. The center also houses a museum which documents chronologically all the details that led to the horrific genocide in 1994. After the tour through the museum, we lay a wreath to honor the dead. This center is to be experienced; words cannot describe all that is displayed in the Kigali Memorial.
It is noon and we make our way to Afrika Bites for lunch. This popular restaurant offers excellent African cuisine. Over lunch we discuss our morning visits and prepare for our much awaited visit to Women for Women (WfW).
After lunch, we walk over to the WfW compound and we are greeted by a large group of women who welcome us with a traditional Rwandese dance. Everyone is excited with our visit as the staff and the sisters have stopped working to watch our arrival. Berra Karamungi, the executive director of the WfW Rwanda office shows us around the facilities and introduces us to the staff. We visit with the sewing class in session, life skills trainers, administrative and finance staff. Berra makes a presentation and provides details about the core programs and its impact on the women that are served. After a brief Q & A session where questions are mostly related to the women, how the training has impacted their lives and the degree of empowerment that such programs offer the women. The responses are complicated but positive. You have to be here to understand the deep appreciation the women have for WfW staff and all their sponsors. While they all appreciate the letters that sponsors send them, their number one wish is to meet their sister in person. But keep those letters coming, majority of the sisters carry these letters close to their heart and is an inspiration to them. Later, some of the sisters have set up an expo in the front lawn. There is jewelry, baskets and traditional clothes on display and for sale. Did anyone say sale, Christine, Janet and Susan were all over this opportunity. With Sara and Connie’s help, the group made a significant dent in the sale inventory. There are smiles all around.
Everyone makes it back to the hotel. While it doesn’t show, I can tell Connie is thrilled with the interest in the afternoon yoga sessions. The class is full as the word got around the expat community that Connie Beaudoin is a yoga teacher and she is holding sessions at Serena Kigali. Dinner tonight is at Republika Restaurant. It is a popular dinner spot offering excellent African cuisine. The group again discusses the events of the day; share their comments while enjoying numerous African dishes. It is getting late and tomorrow is another busy day.
Next – Life Skill Training classes, GAKO Organic Farm and Kayonza Farming Cooperative
June 18, 2010
Sunday, June 13 2010 – Introductions and Kigali Orientation
Sunday June 13, 10:00am everyone is sitting around a table in the pool area. I go over the program for the week; give information on tipping, cash, bargaining etc. I ask each group member to introduce themselves, tell a little about them and why they are on this trip. I felt like Peter Graves from Mission Impossible compiling an astounding team.
After my comments about MJ and its mission, Connie Beaudoin introduced herself and her connection to Rwanda as a yoga teacher. She has been supporting WfW through MJ and her yoga studio in Palm Beach, Florida. She is the perfect complement to our program in Rwanda with her amazing yoga sessions.
Next, Hashmat Abdul spoke to share her experiences with past group participants of MJ trips. Hashmat is not only MJ’s local host/concierge; she is an ambassador of Rwanda (past and present). She is in tune with all the goings on in Rwanda and she has a firm handle on the past of Rwanda. As a 10-year old, she was a guest of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ along with her family and she shares openly her experience of those 100 days of genocide. She has meant a lot to MJ. But more telling is the impact she had on our past group members. They have gotten together to provide Hashmat an incredible opportunity to visit the U.S. this summer. I am sure everyone is anxiously waiting for her to come to their city.
Christine Jacobs (from Devon, PA) is a remarkable person. She is a mother, friend and now, accomplished Mt. Kilimanjaro climber. She was an executive and business leader managing power plants. She hopes to offer her talent and mentorship to support women around the globe.
Sara Groff (from Palm Beach, FL) has a constant smile and she cannot believe her luck that she is connected with such an incredible organization. As a business development executive for a holistic skin care products company, she is soaking in the experience.
Janet Walkow (from Austin, TX and Wayne, PA) is a Texas Longhorn. As a strategy consultant and professor she is interested in women empowerment initiatives. She and Christine have joined forces to form an organization that will tackle women empowerment issues. I feel like our paths will cross again.
Susan Opengart (from Gladwyne, PA) is a sharing open person. She had her first experience seeing the ‘Big Five’ on a safari in Tanzania. She hopes to get a better understanding of Rwanda, its past, present and future. Her friendship with Christine led her to join MJ on the Rwanda trip.
Jennifer Morabito (from LA and DC) is part of the marketing team at WfW focused on grass roots programs. She joined our trip to get a better understanding of the WfW local programs and the group participants.
Liam Dall (from D.C.) is also part of the team at WfW. His focus is institutional relations and is passionate about his work. He also joined our trip to get a better understanding of the programs and the work done by MJ.
Shortly after the introductions, the group took a tour to get oriented with the city and ended at Bourbon Café for a long light lunch. Upon return to the hotel, everyone relaxed in preparation for the first yoga class. Hashmat has been practicing yoga since MJ’s 2008 trip. Over the past year she has been meeting regularly with the staff at the U.S. Embassy to practice yoga. When the group heard of Connie’s sessions at Serena Hotel, they were all too happy to participate. It was a pleasant and welcome crowd for the first session.
Dinner tonight was at Khana Khazana, one of the best Indian restaurants in the region. And it did not disappoint. After a long dinner over engaging conversation coupled with a fantastic South African Merlot the group was ready to collapse for the night.
Tomorrow – visits to Kigali Memorial and WfW presentation
June 16, 2010
June 12 2010 – Women for Women Int’l Philanthropists arrive in Kigali
On Saturday, June 12 Hash and I prepare for the group arrivals. We walk through the coming week, check all the activities, and contact the restaurants to reconfirm our reservations and group dietary needs. I meet up with Liam Dall and Jennifer Morabito; both have joined us from WfW office in D.C. By the time we are done exchanging travel stories, it is time to head to the airport to meet Christine Jacobs and Susan Opengart. They both had been on a safari in Tanzania. Well, Susan was on a safari while Christine climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. I am anxious to learn about both their experiences. We are still waiting for two more arrivals, Connie Beaudoin and Sara Groff. They arrived later that evening while the rest of us were at dinner. Connie and Sara joined us and were introduced to Liam, Jennifer, Christine and Susan. We also met Janet Walkow who had arrived a couple days earlier. Over dinner, we chatted about our travel experiences and books read in preparation for this trip. The general consensus was that ‘Thousand Hills’ was a good read to prep for a trip to Rwanda. It was getting late and everyone was fighting jet-lag. We decided to meet at 10:00am next morning for the official start of MJ Rwanda trip.
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June 15, 2010
June 11, 2010 Deepak arrives in Kigali, reconnects with Rwandan friends
It is June 11, 2010 and as I boarded my flight from Nairobi to Kigali, I was unable to contain my exhilaration. With a wide smile and a hop in my walk I found my seat and started thinking about my past trips to Rwanda. I recalled my first trip in 2007, while it was a short 2 day trip I had fallen in love with the country. This was my third trip to East Africa and I was taken by surprise on what I experienced in Rwanda. It was not like any African country I had visited before, Rwanda felt like a developed country with its inviting citizens and impeccable infrastructure. I was looking forward to soaking in the amazing energy of Berra Karamungi who is the country director for Women for Women International (WfW) office in Kigali. It was my interaction with Berra that sealed the deal for Metta Journeys (MJ) to provide opportunities to connect with WfW and the sisters in their Rwanda program.
As my plane descended into Kigali, my mind went through images of the past three Rwanda trips like a slide-show. I could see the excitement and energy from the inaugural 2008 group meeting their past and new sisters. The adventures of the 2009 Silverback Gorilla trek and the short hike into Goma brings out a laugh. As the plane comes to a stop, I begin to go through my mental checklist of all the people I am going to see again. I am energized with the prospect of seeing Hashmat, Patrick, Alex, Theo, Eric, Berra and many friends I have made since 2007. I collect my luggage, see Hashmat in the arrivals hall and I feel like I’m home.
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celebrating the holidays. Alma from WFWI had booked a meeting room with A/V equipment and they were ready to show off their organization to the Metta Journeys group. We all met at 5:45pm and were greeted by smiling faces which included Seida, Adnan, Raziya, Alma & Nudzjema. After a brief welcome by me, Seida presented WFWI operations in B/H which is comprised of programs serving women across the country and a robust microfinance 7.5mm Euro portfolio. Following the presentation we gathered for dinner and more conversation. The group then moved over to watch the movie ‘Grbavica’ and while some of the group was engulfed in watching the film, some left to catch up with jetlag and I rushed to the airport to pick-up Kathryn Van Vliet, she was the last arrival for the group. When we returned to the meeting room, the movie was over and we were off to bed. Everyone was anxious to see what was in store for them on September 21 as I asked everyone to meet in the lobby at 7:30am.
genocide which included a massacre of 8200 Bosnian Muslims. After a 3-hour drive, we first stopped to meet Fata Orlic, a 70+ year old Muslim woman who is a symbol of resistance against injustice. While Fata was in a refugee camp, the local orthodox priest commissioned and built a church on her property. She has sued for its removal and been counter sued, intimidated, arrested and offered 2.5mm KM (US$2.00 mm) for this small property, but refuses to give in. In 2007, the high court has ruled in her favor and has asked the church to be relocated. But the Serbs and local politicians won’t do it. She has dug her heels and will not give up until the church is removed and moved to a community where people can take advantage of such a place. In her community there are no orthodox Christians and the closest are 2 villages away. She cannot understand why the local community will not relocate the church. Her battle continues…
crimes trial in The Hague. And she is debating if she should attend as she fears for her daughter. Abida has clearly taken on a different persona since graduating from WFWI 4-years ago. She saw hope until the global recession hit and continues to pray. Abida has taken advantage of Heifer International partnership with WFWI and secured 100 chickens and a goat. Life continues for all…
up into two groups. One attended the weaving and embroidery presentation while the other group joined in a ‘human rights’ class. 
Ahmici Women’s organization members. This is a co-operative which works together to support each other. It struck me that much like our earlier journeys to Rwanda in support of WFWI; these sisters were thrilled with a visit. I think they see each other and WFWI staff quite frequently. So visitors from outside the country play a bigger role in the healing process for these women. They feel appreciated and it helps their self confidence by interacting with outside visitors. The MJ group felt welcome; they had a gift prepared for each one of us. And more importantly they had delicious food and we all had lunch again. We returned home for a short rest and we were off to dinner at Tavola. The meal was delicious, but we were not prepared for the adventure that lay ahead. After dinner, Nudzejma, Kerry and Fiona decided to go to a hookah lounge. Craig, Phil, Seida and I decided to join. This was truly a unique form of bonding, as we started sucking on apple/mint smoke. Stories from our teenage years, unique pick-up lines, being arrested in Tokyo while trying to swim in the imperial pool, current teenage sartorial choices and the like were the topics of conversation until well past midnight. 
we discussed local delicacies, like cevapcici, we watched a sporting young man diving off the bridge. He got a loud cheer from the crowd that had gathered around to watch. Soon after lunch, we headed back to our parked vans and we were off to Dubrovnik. It was a quiet drive as everyone enjoyed the breathtaking scenery along the Croatian coast. We arrived at our beautiful hotel, the Dubrovnik Palace, in time for dinner. More important than the food at Elaphite Restaurant was the conversation and the recollections of the group from the past three days in Bosnia. While some were interested in the administrative operations of WFWI, some focused on the sisters and the rest talked about the dark cloud that still hovers over Bosnia. It was the general consensus that, while the stories we heard about Bosnian Muslims and their experiences were horrible, we needed to get comments from the Croatians and Serbians for a much rounded well-informed opinion. Our conversation went deep into the night as we tried to speculate what it would take for this region, a melting pot of stubborn cultures with rich history and strong religious barriers, to live in peace and harmony. The answers were varied; time, it would take three generations for the groups to live together, plus the acceptance of accountability by all parties on what they had done and a general consensus to move on. As we talked we linked the people we met in Bosnia to the solutions we ponder tonight. Finally I brought everyone to the present by summarizing the schedule for the next day, a day cruise through Elaphite Islands. With that we walked to our rooms for a well deserved rest.
rtation, Sipan has cars. Clearly there is more going on here with galleries, vacation homes and bicycle paths throughout the island for the active lifestyle. A quick glance at my watch told me it was time to head back to Dubrovnik. An hour of sailing, napping with cool ocean breeze and we were back in the harbor. It was unanimously agreed this day cruise was the most amazing experience. 
group through Old Dubrovnik. In contrast to Bosnia, we visited a Franciscan monastery, Dominican church and cathedral. We learnt about the buildings that were destroyed during the Balkan war and those that were fixed. I had forgotten to mention that Old Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it is supposedly protected by the UN. Getting Mira’s view of the Balkan War gave everyone a great insight into the current psyche. Listening to our guide narrate the history of Yugoslavia, Turkish occupation, the deep wounds that Croatians and Bosnians have and the hatred displayed by the Serbs went a long way to all of us understanding what happened. The group agreed that none of us knew or understood eastern European history and the lack of media coverage of the Balkan wars complicated any understanding of the situation and the people. 
