Where to begin? There are so many reasons to be optimistic about Rwanda. The capital is safe, clean, and beautiful. The place just seems well run. Our meeting at the ministry of finance yesterday with the director of planning was a revelation. He was a brilliant man in his early thirties – articulate, competent, and utterly dedicated to making his country a better place. And as far as I can tell, he and his colleagues are doing a pretty good job, considering where they’ve come from such a short time ago.
I mean, this country has a law that requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, which is something thirty U.S. states can’t say. A colleague from Uganda said that while a similar law was passed there recently, it was met with utter derision. People would wear gourds on their heads in mocking protest. There’s also a law against plastic bags. In short, this city is the African Singapore, at least on the surface. Ask anybody, and their likely to tell you how this country has revived itself only fifteen years after a genocide in which one out of every seven people in the country was killed.
Kigali City - Safe, clean and friendly
They’ll tell you that the revival is because of the leadership of Paul Kagame, the President. Kagame, the sly, intellectual, stork-like figure whose querulous portrait peers down from walls around the country, is credited with leading the reconciliation and recovery. He seems genuinely beloved. If Kagame says put on your helmet, people put on their helmets. That’s a lot of power for one guy, even if he uses it wisely.
President Kagame, watching over.
After three days meeting with government officials and a visit to a rural health clinic, I can say that there’s real reason for hope. More on why later. Off to bed now – we have a 4:30 am flight to Nairobi, where we have half an hour to make a transfer to Johannesburg, where we transfer to Cape Town. Absolute insanity.
I am in serious blog debt, sorry to say. Here’s what I owe:
• Much more on Korogocho, including a piece about the community radio station, which is for many the primary source of information and entertainment; a visit to two health clinics, such as they are; a bit about the program that cares for HIV+ children, and probably something I’m forgetting.
• Lots about our trip to the health clinic in rural Rwanda (which was a stark contrast to the real challenges of Korogocho.
• A bit about our meeting with the Minister of Health, who brings to mind a McKinsey analyst.
• A really inspiring profile of my new friend E, who spent much of his life in exile when his family was forced to flee to Burundi in the fifties, and who has returned to Rwanda to try to turn his country around.
Off to bed.
I mean, this country has a law that requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, which is something thirty U.S. states can’t say. A colleague from Uganda said that while a similar law was passed there recently, it was met with utter derision. People would wear gourds on their heads in mocking protest. There’s also a law against plastic bags. In short, this city is the African Singapore, at least on the surface. Ask anybody, and their likely to tell you how this country has revived itself only fifteen years after a genocide in which one out of every seven people in the country was killed.
Kigali City - Safe, clean and friendly
They’ll tell you that the revival is because of the leadership of Paul Kagame, the President. Kagame, the sly, intellectual, stork-like figure whose querulous portrait peers down from walls around the country, is credited with leading the reconciliation and recovery. He seems genuinely beloved. If Kagame says put on your helmet, people put on their helmets. That’s a lot of power for one guy, even if he uses it wisely.
President Kagame, watching over.
After three days meeting with government officials and a visit to a rural health clinic, I can say that there’s real reason for hope. More on why later. Off to bed now – we have a 4:30 am flight to Nairobi, where we have half an hour to make a transfer to Johannesburg, where we transfer to Cape Town. Absolute insanity.
I am in serious blog debt, sorry to say. Here’s what I owe:
• Much more on Korogocho, including a piece about the community radio station, which is for many the primary source of information and entertainment; a visit to two health clinics, such as they are; a bit about the program that cares for HIV+ children, and probably something I’m forgetting.
• Lots about our trip to the health clinic in rural Rwanda (which was a stark contrast to the real challenges of Korogocho.
• A bit about our meeting with the Minister of Health, who brings to mind a McKinsey analyst.
• A really inspiring profile of my new friend E, who spent much of his life in exile when his family was forced to flee to Burundi in the fifties, and who has returned to Rwanda to try to turn his country around.
Off to bed.
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