6/12/08

Helping in Rwanda through voluntarism

Helping in Rwanda through voluntarism

Bruce Northam, National Post  Published: Thursday, June 12, 2008

  

Rwanda's Tiziano journalism mentoring program.Courtesy Tiziano ProjectRwanda's Tiziano journalism mentoring program.

If patriotism implies improving your country, what shall we term "leaving goodwill footprints outside your motherland"? Voluntourism, tourists giving back or mentoring the needy while vacationing, is an emerging travel trend. You could just send money via traditional aid organizations or to verified on-the-ground volunteering efforts-but what about actually going there and attempting to create sustainable changes you can see with your own eyes? In whichever scenario, what benefits do locals actually derive long-term?

Prior to colonization, Rwanda's eight clans lived harmoniously. When Belgium seized power in 1932, things took a turn for the worse. The following year, three tribal identities were arbitrarily (and erroneously) imposed via identity cards based on cow ownership; this included all descendents. Family leaders owning more than 10 cows became a Tutsi (15 percent of population), while residents owning fewer than 10 cows were declared Hutus. The remaining one percent, aboriginals, were declared Twas.

 






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