PHOTOS: How Genocide survivor’s experience birthed passion to support teen mothers

Safi Mukundwa, the sole survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in her family, is baffled by genocide denial. At the age of eight, she experienced terror, watching her family members butchered, one after the other. The terrific events still linger in her mind. Before the genocide robbed her of her joy and loved ones, she was a happy child who lived with her family in harmony. ALSO READ: RIB arrests genocide suspect who hid in house for 23 years to evade justice While in primary two, in Kibuye, Karongi district in April, 1994, She had no idea what was happening. She recalls seeing her parents packing a few household items and leaving their house to go to Gatwaro Stadium where Tutsi had sought refuge. Mukundwa was excited about the change of environment, little did she know, about the anguish that had transpired to vanish her whole family and other Tutsi. ALSO READ: No Genocide happens without a plan, preparation, state involvement – Rwandan envoy “People walked for a distance of about 16 kilometers, with their babies on the backs, and old people with their things on their heads in pursuit of security,” she said. Mukundwa explained that life at Gatwaro Stadium was sickening – with no food, water, sanitation, and toilets. People improvised where to ease themselves. They dug some big holes that they used as temporary toilets. “We had carried some foodstuff from home, but it got finished after some days. We started eating meat, without salt, or food. Just boiled meat which we didn’t know where it came from,” she says. On April 18, Mukundwa observed the shooting of Tutsi by Dr Clément Kayishema, a former Prefect (Governor) of the Kibuye region. Kayishema launched the massacre in Gatwaro Stadium by shooting dead an Adventist Pastor Ezechiel Munyakaragwe with the gun that he requested from a gendarme (police officer). He came with armed Interahamwe, gendarmes, police, military, and other Hutu civilians. An estimated 12,000 Tutsi were killed while sheltered at the Gatwaro Stadium. “They shot from about 2 pm to evening around 6 pm, leaving many people and cattle dead. The blood flooded the stadium like water. It was heartbreaking.” After losing her father, sibling, and other relatives in cold blood, Mukundwa’s mother attempted to escape with her, and her brother, but with no success. Her mother later escaped with her two children to Kibuye town to seek shelter from a guardian who worked at the then Ministry of Infrastructure. However, Mukundwa’s brother who was 12 years old was hesitant, stressing that they wouldn’t trust anyone since people had revealed their true colors. “My Mother insisted that the person would help. When we arrived there, he immediately asked, “Aren’t you dead yet? He requested money from Mukundwa’s mother to hide them, and threatened to alert Interahamwe of their whereabouts if they didn’t pay him. She didn’t have a single coin. But she offered to give him her gold necklace. “After a short while, he called them to come and attack them. They immediately surfaced. I still remember my mother telling me to run and hide.” As Mukundwa was puzzled to where to hide, she watched how her mother was mercilessly slaughtered by machetes. Interahamwe also butchered her brother, on April 20, 1994. Mukundwa ran and hid under a big tree. Since it was around 7 pm, they couldn’t see her, but brought a torch and started cutting her until she bled and became unconscious. But luckily, she got help in treating her wounds from some of the neighbors who knew her from Kibuye. She miraculously survived and eventually sought safety in Kituku Orphanage in DR Congo. After the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), stopped the genocide, Mukundwa was able to return to Rwanda despite enduring severe injuries and undergoing numerous surgeries. After the genocide, she acquired counseling from AERG, an Association of Student Genocide Survivors where they meet and tell their stories. “This assisted us to understand that we are not alone and developed a love for one another and has been a healing mechanism as we share stories with our colleagues who understand what we passed through, thanks to AERG for giving us, families.” With support from her uncle and organiSations like the Genocide Survivors Assistance Fund (FARG) and others, she pursued her education, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting, and is now undertaking a Master’s degree in the same course. Mukundwa is married with three children and stays in Kicukiro. She is a vegetable farmer who sells her produce in Kigali. Giving skills to teenage mothers Mukundwa vowed in her darkest hours– to dedicate her life to helping others. It is through her passion that she started the “Safi Life Organisation Centre” in Kigali in 2017, to empower teen mothers, in sewing skills and entrepreneurship mentorship through projects like “Ndashoboye”, which loosely means “I am capable”. The teenage mothers save a small amount every month, in addition to the financial support they get from other organisations which allows them to purchase sewing machines after the training. Felecité Yamuragiye is one of the beneficiaries of the initiative who partook in the sewing course in 2017. The mother of three stressed that she was hopeless and lacked the means to cater to her family. Although she yearned to learn some technical skills, she lacked the finances to pursue short courses. Her children were taken by one of her family members since she couldn’t provide for them. “After Mukundwa’s training, I have a small business that caters to my family’s needs. I am a happy mother,” Yamuragiye stated. Vanessa Niyogushimwa was rejected by her family when she got pregnant at the age of 14, and she thought life had no meaning anymore. “I wondered why my parents didn’t offer me basic knowledge on sexual education but all that is behind me now. I can support my baby and myself through my tailoring business.”

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PHOTOS: How Genocide survivor’s experience birthed passion to support teen mothers