The Rwanda School Project: Our History
In 2003, educator Robin Strickler, an American, married John Rutsindintwarane, a
Rwandan pastor and community development leader in the Lutheran Church of
Rwanda. Based on information from Rwanda’s Ministry of Education and John’s research about development priorities, she founded The Rwanda School Project,
together with Libby Bullock, Father Andrew Mazimpaka, and Ann Boynton-Brown.
In 2005, The Rwanda School Project incorporated as a nonprofit organization in
the USA, stating in its mission that “secondary and continuing education is an important key to Rwanda’s recovery, growth, and continuing peace.” A year later, Lutherans in the Lutheran Church of Rwanda (LCR) and visitors
from California’s Sierra Pacific Synod (ELCA) began thinking about how The Rwanda School Project
might partner with Lutherans to build a Lutheran Center that would house the
secondary school, the local congregation and an office for the LCR. They chose
Rwamagana, the capital of Eastern Province, as the site for their project. Also
in that period, Robin
met educators from Expeditionary Learning, and after attending some of EL’s institutes, she became convinced that EL offered a model that would be
flexible enough to work in Rwanda and point the school toward excellence in
academics
and a caring school culture.
In 2007, while Robin taught a free English class for teens and adults in
Rwamagana, a committee of church members worked on acquiring a parcel of land
there, finally purchasing a 2.5-hectare site on rural land near the town. Funds
were donated by Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Santa Rosa, CA. In the same year,
Robin applied to become a Missionary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
America, which has generously supported her work as the school’s director. Dr. Elaine Kasimatis volunteered a year of her time, and together,
Robin and Elaine spent 2008 laying the groundwork for the school’s curriculum, teacher development, administrative structure, building plans, and
philosophy.
Focusing on professional development for teachers and a school culture that
values honesty, teamwork, and trust, The Rwamagana Lutheran School began its
first classes as an English Enrichment Program for 23 students in February of
2009, renting space from African Evangelical Enterprise. In 2010, the school
was licensed by the Ministry of Education, and it began Secondary Form 1 (7th
grade) classes with 24 students, following Rwanda’s national curriculum.
With the Expeditionary Learning framework, students are encouraged to take
responsibility for their learning by setting study goals, keeping a portfolio
of their work, doing significant reading and writing, and presenting what they
learn to peers and community members. Inquiry-based math and science help
students to see purpose and reasoning behind formulae, and community service is
required for graduation.
Though a mixed school, close attention is given to girls’ needs: In the first year, boys and girls attend separate math and English
classes to give them opportunities to ask questions openly. Girls and boys both
have classes on gender equality, assertiveness, relationships, and
confidence-building. There is a significant need for girls’ dorm space, because girls who live at home are often expected to shoulder extra
chores of fetching water and firewood, cooking, caring for sick or elderly
relatives, and tending children. This burden is even heavier for girls in step
families or those who stay with friends or distant relatives in order to attend
school.
We aim to make the campus a working model for sustainability, with solar power,
water catchment, biogas digester (power for kitchen and chemistry labs), and
gardens. Ultimately, we plan a campus with 550 students and eight buildings
(two classroom buildings, dormitory, cafeteria/assembly room, library, science
labs, chapel/theater, and administrative offices). We want students to graduate
with a strong understanding of environmental issues of the 21st century so
that, regardless of their chosen careers, they can help Rwanda to develop in
healthy and productive ways.
Volunteers have already given over 45 months of service to the school, and we
are further blessed with a talented and enthusiastic staff. As we look to the
future, we have many dreams about how we can build on this exciting foundation.
* * * * * * * * * *
For an excellent and detailed explanation of Rwanda’s history up until the genocide, Global Issues explains the complex nature of Rwanda’s past. Scroll down to see recommended books and films.
Although it is worth learning more in-depth, this is a quick summary:
In 1994, Rwanda, led by an extremist Hutu government, was the scene of both
civil war and genocide in a society conditioned by 60 years of
institutionalized colonial class division between the Hutu and Tutsi groups.
Approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered. An additional
3 million people (largely Hutus fearing revenge) fled the country and suffered
difficult conditions and death in refugee camps. Another 1 million people were
internally displaced. After 90 days, as the world stood by and did essentially
nothing, the genocide was brought to an end by the Rwandan Patriotic Front
(RPF), a Tutsi-led army composed largely of former (old-case) refugee soldiers.
Some important points to note are:
1. Hutus and Tutsis speak the same language (Kinyarwanda) and follow the same
religions (93% Christian, 5% Muslim). They are not “tribes” but were distinctions historically based on livelihood (farming—agriculturalists and cattle herding—pastoralists).
2. Hutus and Tutsis lived together peaceably for several hundred years. Colonial
and post-independence governments institutionalized division and
discrimination, alternately favoring one group or the other. ID cards indicating
each person’s “ethnicity” were used to divide people before and during the
genocide, even though this was determined only by the mother’s “ethnicity” and many people came from families with both Hutu and Tutsi heritage.
3. Rwanda’s genocide was not a case of “sudden violence.” Caught by a failing
economy and political pressures, the Habyarimana (Hutu) government of the
early 1990s was overtaken by the extremist Hutu Power movement, which
carefully planned the genocide. Weapons were ordered, lists were distributed,
propaganda was ratcheted up, youth militias were trained, fear tactics were
used, and pressure was applied to those who didn’t comply. Some of the first
victims of the genocide were moderate Hutus who didn't support the extremist
aims of the Hutu power politicians and militias.
4. Most Rwandans today prefer to be called “Rwandans” rather than Hutus or
Tutsis. The country is working hard to build a future in which all Rwandans will
be respected for their contributions to society. Today, Rwanda has a high level
of safety and was ranked “Africa’s cleanest capital” by The Economist.
Recommended Books
We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families
by Philip Gourevitch
Shake Hands with the Devil by General Romeo Dallaire
When Victims Become Killers by Mahmood Mamdani
Genocide: A Problem from Hell by Samantha Power
Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda by Alison Liebhafsky Des Forges
Land of a Thousand Hills by Stephen Kinzer
The Antelope’s Strategy by Jean Hatzfeld
Recommended Films
“Hotel Rwanda” (available at your local video store)
“Sometimes in April” (made by HBO Films)
“Shake Hands with the Devil” (a documentary about UN General Dallaire)
“God Sleeps in Rwanda”—a 30-minute documentary by Kimberlee Acquaro
about six Rwandan women ten years later
“Rwanda Alive: Those Who Listen”—a documentary focusing on a 16-year-old
schoolgirl and a project connecting Rwandan and American students
(available from www.gng.org)
“A Good Man in Hell”—a 15-minute film from the Holocaust Museum (available
from www.ushmm.org)
“Beyond the Gates (Shooting Dogs)”—a grim but honest portrayal of 1994 events
