This is my last posting from Rwanda. We are leaving for Kigali tomorrow and then we fly out Sunday afternoon.
The last three months have gone by so quickly – yet when I reflect on our first week here – it feels like a year ago.
Last night the University held a “surprise” going away party for us. It was surprising as I really thought we would slip quietly into the night. I did not expect such fan fare over our departure. However, about 60 staff and students were at the party hosted at the bar conveniently located across the street from our house. Such gatherings complete with speeches, hugging, and tears, always make leaving more difficult. But it is good to leave with such fond memories…
During the party last night I had an interesting conversation with one of the students. He is an economics student at NUR and is interested in doing international work. He has great pride in his people yet is saddened by how little value Africans see in themselves. Eddie spoke about how many Africans see a foreigner and believe that the foreigner is better than them, but he sees a foreigner and believes that there can be an equal exchange of ideas. We discussed what it means to be “developed” and how the west, through out cast offs, are keeping Africa from progressing. He sees education as an essential role in the “development” of Africa - however they choose to define it - in order to teach people to be proud of their country and culture, value themselves as individuals, and recognize what they as a country/continent can contribute to the world.
I must admit that I was blown away by what Eddie was saying as resonated with a book I am reading right now that provides a critical analysis of development. I had just finished a chapter which spoke to the fact that by identifying a group of people as “underdeveloped” we are “deepening the disability” of that group of people. We cannot expect people to see values in themselves, or empower themselves, if the label the western world gives them is one that devalues their lives. When reading this chapter, I had thought about the role of critical pedagogy in such areas – of how essential it is for the empowerment of 2/3 of the world…..
And here Eddie, someone living and breathing something I am trying so hard to understand, reaffirmed my thoughts.
I will likely produce one more posting once I have landed as tomorrow morning I am going to watch the former prostitutes in their basket weaving training. I have a Polaroid camera and will take pictures of the women with their children. Many of these women are HIV positive and will not see their children grow. Maybe I am making assumptions about their values, but I think it might be nice for the families to have pictures of themselves with their loved ones – something they cannot afford on their own.
One final note before signing off – today the consultant gave his presentation of the business plan we put together for the University. In a previous posting I spoke about the deadlines the consultant had put on different tasks. Today was the University’s first deadline in a 5 year strategic plan….the task was to produce a list of names for the Project Management Team. Had the University done anything about this task?…..No…..I can’t even begin to start writing about this – it would open Pandora’s Box – and I don’t have the time right now. I need time to digest and reflect as I just cannot wrap my head around it…
The last three months have gone by so quickly – yet when I reflect on our first week here – it feels like a year ago.
Last night the University held a “surprise” going away party for us. It was surprising as I really thought we would slip quietly into the night. I did not expect such fan fare over our departure. However, about 60 staff and students were at the party hosted at the bar conveniently located across the street from our house. Such gatherings complete with speeches, hugging, and tears, always make leaving more difficult. But it is good to leave with such fond memories…
During the party last night I had an interesting conversation with one of the students. He is an economics student at NUR and is interested in doing international work. He has great pride in his people yet is saddened by how little value Africans see in themselves. Eddie spoke about how many Africans see a foreigner and believe that the foreigner is better than them, but he sees a foreigner and believes that there can be an equal exchange of ideas. We discussed what it means to be “developed” and how the west, through out cast offs, are keeping Africa from progressing. He sees education as an essential role in the “development” of Africa - however they choose to define it - in order to teach people to be proud of their country and culture, value themselves as individuals, and recognize what they as a country/continent can contribute to the world.
I must admit that I was blown away by what Eddie was saying as resonated with a book I am reading right now that provides a critical analysis of development. I had just finished a chapter which spoke to the fact that by identifying a group of people as “underdeveloped” we are “deepening the disability” of that group of people. We cannot expect people to see values in themselves, or empower themselves, if the label the western world gives them is one that devalues their lives. When reading this chapter, I had thought about the role of critical pedagogy in such areas – of how essential it is for the empowerment of 2/3 of the world…..
And here Eddie, someone living and breathing something I am trying so hard to understand, reaffirmed my thoughts.
I will likely produce one more posting once I have landed as tomorrow morning I am going to watch the former prostitutes in their basket weaving training. I have a Polaroid camera and will take pictures of the women with their children. Many of these women are HIV positive and will not see their children grow. Maybe I am making assumptions about their values, but I think it might be nice for the families to have pictures of themselves with their loved ones – something they cannot afford on their own.
One final note before signing off – today the consultant gave his presentation of the business plan we put together for the University. In a previous posting I spoke about the deadlines the consultant had put on different tasks. Today was the University’s first deadline in a 5 year strategic plan….the task was to produce a list of names for the Project Management Team. Had the University done anything about this task?…..No…..I can’t even begin to start writing about this – it would open Pandora’s Box – and I don’t have the time right now. I need time to digest and reflect as I just cannot wrap my head around it…
3 comments:
I love that you are coming home.
I think that a photo is the most generous thing you could possible do. A photo is something that we generally take for granted because really, we have access to photo's everywhere. For you to give the gift of a memory to those who may not get an entire lifetime with a loved one is one of the most self less and kind things to do. You are creating a memory. A lasting relic of a person, an image for someone to hold onto long after they are gone.
You are too good for words.
nat <3 -- ps that is a heart....
Home is where the heart is... may you continue safely on this wonder-filled journey.
Barb and all :)
Good luck on the trip home
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