History and Citizenship

Unit 14:DIGNITY AND SELF-RELIANCE IN RWANDAN SOCIETY

Dignity and self-reliance

Dignity: It is a condition of being worth of respect, esteem or honour.

Self-reliance: This is a state of being independent in all aspects. The independence could be social, political or economic.

Activity 14.1

1. Identify four things that make you proud of your country (Rwanda).

2. Pick out the ones that promote respect and hard work.

Rwanda has many things that we can be proud of including the ones you have mentioned. These things bring dignity to ourselves and to the country at large. The Government of Rwanda has put some measures to enable us achieve self-reliance and dignity.

Measures put in place by the government of Rwanda to achieve self-reliance

Activity 14.2

Identify some activities that promote social and economic growth in Rwanda.

In the past years, Rwanda has worked hard towards the achievement dignity and self-reliance. Several measures were put in place to achieve both.

(i) Abunzi

These are mediation committees that were created in 2006 to resolve conflicts through community participation. In other words, they were to decentralise justice. There are local officers at village level (umudugudu) whose major role is intervention. They intervene in small wrangles among citizens and harmonise the situation before it involves the courts.

(ii) Girinka programme (one cow per poor family)

This programme was launched on 12th April 2006 with mainly four prime objectives:

• Fighting malnutrition

• Reducing poverty through dairy farming

• Improving agricultural productivity through use of manure

• Improving soil quality and reducing effects of erosion through planting trees and grass

One member of the community is given a pregnant dairy cow. He or she is supposed to give a first born female calf to another beneficiary. The chain is continuous. By September 2014, close to 200 000 beneficiaries had received cows.

The criterion used for one to benefit from the one cow per poor family project is as follows:

• The beneficiary must not have already owned a cow.

• One must be considered poor by the community through the ubudehe principle.

• One must have constructed a cow shed.

• One must have at least 0.25 to 0.75 hectares of land part of which must be covered with fodder.

• One must be a person of integrity (Inyangamugayo).

Before one is given the cow, they first undergo training from Rwanda Agricultural Board. This is to prepare them on how to manage the cows.

Fig. 14.1: Girinka programme in Rwanda 

(iii) Agaciro Development Fund

This is solidarity fund that has been initiated by Rwandans. The fund seeks to improve the level of financial autonomy of Rwanda. It is a government programme. It was started by his Excellency the President of the Republic of Rwanda in August, 2012. It was started as a way of reducing foreign aid.

(iv) Itorero

 It is a civic education training that was established in 2007 to train different leaders. It trains teachers, students, politicians, church leaders, ex soldiers, bankers and civil servants. They study government programmes, Rwandan history, unity and reconciliation and Rwanda values for a better future in which negative ideologies of the past will not influence them. It also produces leaders who strive for community development.

Fig. 14.2: Youths undergoing Itorero training

 (v)  Ubudehe

This is a poverty eradication programme under the ministry of finance. A pilot programme was launched in 2001. The official launch was in 2004.         It is a culture of collective action and solidarity to solve problems of poverty by people themselves.  This is done by categorising Rwandans into different income groups according to self-sustenance. The poor are given priority in terms of health insurance, education, electricity, water supply and even accommodation.

(vi) Kuremera

It is an initiative created by the government of Rwanda. It aims at solving the problem of unemployment especially among the youth.

At the start, the Rwandan government gave Rwandan Francs 200 million to youth. They were given this amount to start self-help projects. This has gone even to local levels. Members of a given community can join hands to help the needy in their community. For example, they construct houses, avail water for the aged and provide food.

(vi) One-dollar campaign

It was an initiative by Rwandans living in the diaspora to raise some money.    It was about contributing at least one dollar per head. The money contributed was for supporting the society through building houses for students who survived the genocide. 

(vii) Umuganda (National community service)

 This is a national communal activity that is done every last Saturday of the month. It starts at 7:00 am and ends at 12 noon. All people dedicate that time to cleaning and rehabilitation of the environment. After that, a meeting is held to discuss the progress of the nation. Government programmes such as immunisation days are also announced.

Fig. 14.4: Community service (Umuganda) 

Activity 14.3

Discuss the advantages of participating in the cleaning of your own surroundings.

(ix) Ishema ryacu

This started in July 2015 after the arrest of General Karenzi Karake Emmanuel. General Karenzi was arrested in Britain under the order of Spain. Rwandans started ishema campaign to collect money and pay for his bail which was 1 million pounds. Ishema fund was to bring back the pride of Rwanda and Rwandans.

 (x) Gacaca Gacaca

Means “judgment on the grass”. Gacaca system has been used in Rwanda for a long time as a method of disputes’ resolutions in areas like land and cattle disputes, dowry disagreements and crimes committed in the community. It is based on truth telling and confessions as well as rendering punishment to violators while still emphasising the need for harmony and social order.

 The main objective for the establishment of Gacaca’s is reconciliation through restoration of harmony, social order by punishing, shaming and requiring reparations from the offenders as well as giving everyone in the community an opportunity to participate in the deliberation of justice. The Gacaca system is elaborate on how to punish the violators and perpetrators even as it allows them a chance to be reintegrated back into the community.

This traditional, communal justice was adapted in 2001 to fit the needs of Rwanda in the wake of the 1994  Genocide against the Tutsi where over one million people were killed, tortured and raped in the period of 100 days. This was after realisation that the formal court systems could have taken a long time to resolve the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi cases. They were started to bring to a consensus between the perpetrators and the victims of the Genocide. The courts worked at the village level. By the time of their official closure on 4th May 2015, they had successfully resolved many cases. They had also created a united Rwandan society.

Fig. 14.5: Gacaca court in session

(xi) Ndi umunyarwanda

 This programme was put forward by the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC). It was started to bring a lasting peace, unity and reconciliation after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. It was launched on the 15th  November 2013 at Integrated polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC), Kigali. It was launched by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Information and Communication Technology (MYICT). 

Activity 14.4

Use internet or newspapers to find out the names of the following:

1. Minister for Youth and Information and Communication Technology.

2. Permanent Secretary for Youth and Information and Communication Technology.

Fig. 14.6: Citizens attending Ndi Umunyarwanda programme

Implication of dignity and self-reliance on Rwandan society

Activity 14.5

1. Write the English translation of Rwanda National Anthem.

2. Explain what we learn from our National Anthem.

Dignity and self-reliance have positive implications on the Rwandan society. Some of them are:

• They have brought, among Rwandans, a sense of togetherness and love for one another. The love is not based on any other string but Rwandans, hence the slogan ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’.

• Dignity and self-reliance have played a big role in the economic development of Rwanda. Every Rwandan feels that it is their duty to develop their own country.

• Dignity and self-reliance has led to promotion of peace and stability among Rwandans. People learn to respect and live in harmony with each other.

• Rwanda has been able to fight the bad history of tribalism of 1950s and early 1990s. Rwandans now work together towards the development of their nation.

• They have also helped to reduce income inequalities among Rwandans. Rwandan society looks forward to dignifying every member, that is, the rich help the poor.

• Dignity and self-reliance  reduce the dependency ratio on the government. Some issues are addressed by the citizens through various campaigns such as ‘bye-bye nyakatsi.’ Campaigns such as kuremera and Agaciro Development Fund have enabled the government to finance up to 66% of its budget.

• Rwanda has been able to provide basic services to its citizens. For example, under the Ubudehe, the vulnerable Rwandans are given priority in terms of education.

Important!

Umuganda is one of the activities through which Rwanda has managed to conserve the environment. Through Umuganda, trees have been planted and cleaning has been done. No doubt, Rwanda is the cleanest country in Africa. We must keep up the record.

Dignity and self reliance are very important in Rwanda. They promote growth and development of Rwanda. They bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. They enable provision of basic services, and helping the needy and disaster stricken people. They also help in poverty eradication.

Revision questions

1. Define the term ‘dignity’.

2. Explain how dignity and self-reliance have been achieved in Rwanda.

3. Discuss the implication of dignity and self-reliance on your society.

4. State the meaning of ‘self-reliance.