Thursday, July 31, 2014

Barbara Bush, Health Corps visit Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre


Barbara P. Bush, the Founder of Global Health Corps, together with a group of 150 Young Fellows have visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center as a way to learn from Rwandan atrocities of 1994 and decide on good practices to avoid such atrocities to happen elsewhere in the world.


The Health corps also donates Rwf 1.350.000 to the memorial centre.

Global Health Corps provides a yearlong paid fellowship for young professionals from diverse backgrounds to serve on the frontlines of the fight for global health equity at existing health organizations and government agencies. Fellows are currently working in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and the United States.

Speaking to media shortly after visiting the inside part of the Genocide Memorial Centre, Barbara said “Many of Rwandans lived to genocide and they are able to see the positive and reconcile and other people find humanity so that they can live happy life now and I think it is suddenly to speak to atrocities to keep people realizing that we should stand up whenever we see atrocities in the world so that this never happen again and I believe the world can learn from Rwanda”


She said Rwanda is an inspiration first of all for the unbelievable progress that has been made here and “I am inspired by global health corps many of whom are Rwandans who want to use their skills and energy and patience to make a better place and build a more powerful health system and create programs that can impact lives positively.”

Meanwhile, Jean Rene Shema, The Global Health Corps East Afica Program Manager and Rwanda Country Representative told this website that “We are proud of having brought these foreigners to visit the memorial centre. They have to learn our history as Rwandans and in deep to learn about the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis. On one side this is our history as Rwandans and on another side this is the global history so we have to know about that.”

The 1994 Genocide in Rwanda has cost lives of over one million Tutsis who were murdered in a period of 100 days.

Fred Chitau, a fellow from Zambia, also told this website reporter that he is saddened by what he saw in the Memorial Centre calling upon youth to uphold unity and not taking the same position as that one that led to atrocities.

“I must say that what I have seen here is very touching and I just imagined the people the energy they had put in trying to kill other people if that energy could have been used in order to help people that were suffering it could have been a major price.” He said

“I would like to see the team of youth taking different orientation thinking opposite to what happened here and now trying to use that energy in order to provide services to the people who need them”

“I could just say we still touched about this we are still happy that it has come to an end and we are looking forward to see this continue, the peace and harmony continue because we are human beings we should care about each other. What affects me today can affect other person tomorrow if we come together and support each other we will grow as a better nation.” Chitau concluded.




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