We are conducting an evaluation of the student workshop delivered for secondary students and their teachers at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The students come for a one day session called 'Learning from the past; Building the future,' and they engage in a mix of activities: discussion and learning about the history of the genocide, touring the museum exhibit on the genocide, paying thier respects at the graves, and engaging in discussion and activitiy to explore critical thinking, problem solving and working together.
The evaluation is a serious and ambitious one, that involves following up with six schools that attended the workshop some months earlier, and it involves questionnaires and interviews with headmasters, teachers and students. There’s been a lot of data to transcribe from audio recordings to written Kinyarwanda and then translated into English but finally that job is done and the analysis can begin. That’s a big process and won’t be completed for another couple of months. So more after it is completed, but in the meantime, here’s a few quotes taken from the student interviews. It’s so encouraging to hear these young voices that I wanted to share them with you.
Before the workshop I used to judge anyone from another ethnic or social group than mine, and I could not socialize with them. I was feeling that my social group is superior and so, I needed to stick to it, cherishing it like the way people have fan clubs to support their team and criticize other teams. But now, I have resolved that we are all one and need to work hand in hand to build our country.
Before the workshop, I used to hear people saying that this student is a Tutsi and that one is a Hutu. So, according to what my parents had told me, I had to avoid any Tutsi student at all cost and I believed that they should also avoid me because I thought that their parents also briefed them about it. But I attended the workshop, and I have understood that we can socialize and help one another because any student is my colleague without discrimination.
After the workshop we initiated some activities like regular community work at a neighboring genocide memorial. Also after the visit, with the support of the school officials and teachers, we organized a fundraising and bought goats for the vulnerable students of our school and also for vulnerable children outside the school.
Before I attended the workshop, I could not sit together with other students and discuss about the history of Rwanda and take some action. After visiting the memorial, I shared some discussion with others about the history of Rwanda to the best of my ability and they also learnt it. I urged us to be united and to keep taking time to discuss about the history of Rwanda.
In our school we were not used to mutual help among us but since the workshop, we have been helping one another in many things so far and we have helped many children in their development efforts.
People with whom I was used to be in conflict don’t see me as a bad guy anymore because, after the workshop, I have acquired the new image of a person who shares positive ideas and now they approach me. So, we discuss about what can unite us rather than what divides us, and together we analyze and solve problems among us.
I wish I could have another chance to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial where I learnt critical analysis in problem solving: collecting information about the problem, analyzing and interpreting the information you have about it, testing alternative solutions and solving the problem.
There is an impact because our school has been able to manage some conflicts among students in a way that both conflicting parties get satisfied with the solution. Also, before the workshop, it was hard to have students contribute to help someone but now, they do it willingly and easily.
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