Rwanda is a beautiful forward-looking, democratic country tucked between Uganda, Tanzania, Congo and Burundi. It is known as the heart of Africa and its beautiful hills are dotted with the mud brick dwellings of 9 million people in land space less than a third of the size of Scotland (slightly smaller than Maryland, USA). Round those dwellings grow bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes and beans. The people smile with that big African grin, but in their eyes you can see the heartache of the terrible genocide.
In 90 days from 7th April
1994 around one million people were massacred in one of
the worst genocides the world has seen. People were
burned alive with their houses, children thrown down
pit latrines and buried alive, and unspeakable
atrocities carried out on the women. Although many
women and children were killed hundreds of thousands of
widows and orphans were left behind. For many of them,
food is a daily struggle, education an unattainable
necessity, and to break free from the poverty cycle an
impossible dream.
But
God dreams over those children and families and you
can help another child, another family reach those
dreams.
Facts on
Rwanda:
• Around 80% of the people are dependent on
farming for food and income
• 69% of the population are under 24 and only 2.6%
are over 65
• Life Expectancy is 46
• Spending on health per person is £7 per year
• 18% of deaths are caused by HIV/AIDS and 10% by
diarrhoea
• Under 5 mortality is 203 per 1000 born
• Rwanda is ranked 159 out of 177 countries on the
UN Human Development Index
• Rwanda is the most densely populated country in
Africa
• Around 60% of Rwandans live on less than $1
per day (around 50p).
Rwandans are
working hard to acquire the skills and training
to lift the nation out of poverty but face huge
challenges.
Although
progress has been made since the genocide,
levels of poverty in Rwanda are still very
high.
Tea
plantation.
Widows working
in the fields.
Bananas are a
major staple part of the Rwandan diet
They are boiled, fried, stewed or eaten as
fruit.
