A group of young people who survived the Genocide against the Tutsi met this past weekend to among others thank the government of Rwanda and other stakeholders for standing with them through the most trying moment of their lives. The group, through their association that goes by the French acronym GAERG (Groupe des Anciens Etudiants et Elèves Rescapés du Genocide), or the Alumni of Genocide Survivors’ Students Association, has over the years helped members to stand with one another along their journey of healing. Many of them lost their parents and guardians during the Genocide, others were left with life-threatening wounds and went through unimaginable suffering both physically and mentally. Some were just toddlers at the time and all these have now grown to become women and men of substance, contributing in different capacity to the developing of the country they could have easily given up on nearly 30 years ago. Through their association, they have encouraged one another not to succumb to mental distress from their despicable past, which could have easily driven them into drug abuse and other vices but soldier on through school. Theirs is a story that epitomizes resilience. While it is within our culture to show appreciation towards those that have done good for us, the nation owes them a vote of thanks in return. Many of them, amidst all the challenges they faced at the time, took the unenviable burden of parenthood for their much younger siblings. Some were hardly in their teens when they took on these responsibilities. Even with their hands full, they remained close to other vulnerable survivors including the elderly who were left childless by the same Genocide and continue to do that. After completing their studies, they are now engaged in nation building and are at the helm of fighting the Genocide ideology while they could have easily remained a burden of the state in perpetuity. We thank you and are proud of you for you chose not to become what the Interahamwe and their ilk wanted you to become!
