Atlanta, GA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/18/2014 -- Over 3,000 Rwandans living in North America are travelling to Atlanta, Georgia (USA) this week to meet their leader President Paul Kagame, during the sixth edition of Rwanda Day, on September 19-20.

Former US President Bill Clinton, US lawmakers and celebrities have also been invited to the event. American civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson has graced a similar event in Chicago, back in 2011.

President Kagame will be keynote speaker, highlight the country's progress and interact with the Diaspora. Youth employment and entrepreneurship will also be discussed. Rwanda has set a target of creating 200,000 new jobs every year – up from about 100,000.

400 business executives from Rwanda will showcase local products and share success stories.

Angelique Karekezi, the Director of RWASHOSCCO, a Maraba premium coffee exporter, will exhibit roasted and green coffee to attract Rwandan suppliers.

Kigali City will showcase the city's master plan to attract real estate investors. The housing sector alone needs thousands of new units every year.

Remittances from Rwanda's Diaspora increased from $25m to $115m in 2006-2013 as a result of mobilization of the diaspora. Central Bank Governor John Rwangombwa said a large portion of the remittances go into construction.

The One Dollar Project built a $3m 4-storey hostel in Kigali for 190 genocide orphans.

Following similar previous Rwanda Day events, investors rushed into the country with investments in housing, banking and the stock market.

Every Rwanda Day event carries a theme. This year's theme is 'Agaciro' (Dignity): Our Choice. Participants are expected to discuss how Rwanda can work with the rest of the world to promote dignity.

Already, on Twitter and Facebook, campaigns with the hashtag #Twahisemo (We chose) are trending. The campaign urges Rwandans to "Join Rwanda's journey: 20 years with 3 choices. Staying Together, Being Accountable, and Thinking Big".

This involved opinion leaders, politicians, artists and ordinary citizens post photos with message of what these choices mean for them.

About Rwanda Day
The first Rwanda Day was held from Chicago in US, in June 2011 – followed by Paris-September 2011. In September 2012, the event returned to Boston, US. Last year, the event was held in London, UK and Toronto, Canada in May and September respectively.

Local Pop stars are usually invited to entertain participants.

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KT Press reports on the remarkable story of reconciliation between genocide widows and wives of the perpetrators

Kigali, Rwanda -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/22/2014 -- In a small village in Huye district in Southern Rwanda, tensions between genocide widows and wives of genocide perpetrators had long riled the local community.

Every time the wives of genocide perpetrators visited their husbands in prison, genocide widows stopped them on the way, threw stones at them, and harassed them verbally.

The wives of the perpetrators would also turn around and ridicule the genocide widows. They told them how they wished they had been killed too. Neighbors watched the battles unfold in disbelief.

The women would meet at church every Sunday. Every one of them looked humble, and pretended to be friendly and loving. Later, after the church service, they would spit on ground in utter disgust as they hurl insults at each other.

A nun, who had witnessed the tension between the women, approached them and invited them for conversation. They agreed.

Weeks later, the women formed an association and named it Ubutwari Bwokubaho, loosely translated as 'Heroic Will to Live". Years down the road, the women have become an inspirational story of reconciliation in Rwanda. Today, the association has close to 2000 members.

More associations across the country have since emerged. The women members do businesses together and support each other when faced with social problems.

Pelagei Umurerwa is a member of a similar association in a suburb of Kigali, Rwanda's capital with more than 500 members. "At first, it was not easy to work with wives of those who killed my husband and relatives," she says. . "But we are not killers, and these fellow women [wives of the perpetrators] are not killers either." "There is nothing we can do but to work with them," Umurerwa adds.

MatrideI libagiza is also a memberof such an association. In 2011, after acquiring skills in tailoring, she earned Rwf150, 000 (about 250USD). She added her savings and invested in a small poultry farm with 10 chicks.

In less than 12 months, she has begun making a living from selling eggs and chicken. She now earns more than Rwf100, 000 (150USD) every month. "Life is promising," she says. "I am now able to pay school fees for my two sons."

The association receives support from NGOs and government programs that support such or similar reconciliationinitiatives. Members then apply for loans from the funds the association receives.

The Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), Dr. Jean Baptiste Habyarimana says their work has been extra ordinary. "We actually follow their example to educate the community about reconciliation," he said.

For Umurerwa, the woman in Kigali city who had to forgive despite the pain she endured: "The Genocide destroyed everything… But we have to pick up pieces and move forward," she sums up.

To read the full article, please visit: http://ktpress.rw/?p=80

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Dan Ngabonziza / Magnus Mazimpaka
KT Press
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About KT Press
KTPress is Rwanda's leading source for high-quality and accurate news on Politics, Business, Economy, Sports, Technology, Environment, Tourism and Events.

With its commitment to accurate reporting and unbiased journalism, KTPress also reports on a large number of local happenings in Rwanda and East Africa, acting as an information bridge between the region and its global Diasporas.

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Elaborate displays across the country celebrate the mood of an excited nation

Kigali, Rwanda -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/09/2014 -- By the time Rwanda's capital Kigali fell on July 4, 1994, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel movement had been engaging then government forces in a four-year armed liberation struggle. Behind the frontline, the Genocide was taking its heavy toll. Over a million Tutsis were killed between April and July 1994.

The world just sat back. Even the United States, with President Bill Clinton in office, were adamant to act.

Twenty years down the road, Rwandans gathered at the country's largest Stadium, Amahoro in the capital Kigali, to celebrate the rebirth of the nation. There were elaborate displays across the country celebrating the mood of an excited nation.

Today, the word liberation has taken a developmental undertone in Rwanda. In Mulindi in the North for instance, where the RPF rebels had their headquarters. People say, "Look at how many new hospitals, schools, roads, and electricity we have today!" And they equate these new infrastructures to liberation.

Florence Iribagiza, a Mulindi resident, now has electricity and a hospital within walking distance. Her incomes have rocketed, so has the economy.

In 1998, the budget grew to Rwf38billion. But the circumstances were worse. Rwanda could only raise 30% of the budget. The remaining 70% came from donors.

Today, its annual budget stands at more than Rwf1.9 trillion ($1.8bn), and over 63% of the budget is funded domestically. Economy grew at an average of 8% over the last ten years. School enrolment is over 90%.

More than 98% of Rwandans have health insurance. International visitors have rated Kigali as the cleanest city in Africa. The military, an institution of oppression 20 years ago, is now busy building schools and other national infrastructure. In June it launched a project to construct 500 health centers around the country.

For the D-Day July 4th, there were parties all across the country. The biggest was in the national stadium in the capital Kigali addressed by President Kagame and other regional leaders. "We still have a long way to go, but Rwanda has been able to come this far because we owned up." said Kagame.

To read the full article, please visit: http://ktpress.rw/?p=47

About KT Press
KTPress is Rwanda's leading source for high-quality and accurate news on Politics, Business, Economy, Sports, Technology, Environment, Tourism and Events. With its commitment to accurate reporting and unbiased journalism, KTPress also reports on a large number of local happenings in Rwanda and East Africa, acting as an information bridge between the region and its global Diasporas.

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