Looking Back to Move Forward
After the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, Rwanda was left in ruins — not just in its cities and countryside, but in its very institutions. Courts, ministries, and systems of justice had collapsed. Even if they hadn’t, we could not turn to colonial structures that had, over decades, fostered the very divisions that fueled the genocide.
To rebuild, Rwanda had to look inward. We had to remember who we were before we were broken. Our future could only be forged by reconnecting with the past — with the wisdom, values, and practices that once united us.
Gacaca, meaning “grass” in Kinyarwanda, was a traditional form of community-based justice used long before colonial times. It was reborn to respond to the overwhelming need for accountability after the genocide. Citizens gathered in open-air courts, where perpetrators confessed and survivors shared their truths — publicly, painfully, but with purpose.
Gacaca processed more than a million cases and allowed communities to heal through participation. It wasn't perfect. But it was ours — and it helped rebuild trust in a shattered society.
Another ancestral practice brought into the present is Umuganda — a day of national community work held every last Saturday of the month. Across Rwanda, people come together to clean, build, and solve local problems side by side.
More than infrastructure, Umuganda rebuilds a sense of shared purpose. It reminds us that development is not only the work of governments or donors, but of neighbors — and that national pride can begin with a broom, a shovel, and a commitment to each other.
Rwanda also revived Abunzi — traditional community mediators known for their integrity and wisdom. These volunteers resolve civil disputes at the grassroots level, reducing the burden on formal courts and restoring harmony through dialogue, not division.
The Abunzi model reflects one of Rwanda’s deepest values: that justice can be compassionate, and that dignity must be protected, even in disagreement.
Long before colonialism, Rwanda was a unified kingdom, rich in culture, language, and values. Our ancestors believed in Ubumwe (unity), Ubupfura (integrity), and Ubworoherane (tolerance). These were not just ideals — they were lived realities.
We are not defined by what tore us apart. We are defined by what helped us come back together.
Today’s Rwanda stands as a model of peace, resilience, and innovation. But our progress is not a break from history — it is a return to our roots. Our homegrown solutions, inspired by the past, are shaping a hopeful, inclusive future.
Come learn how Rwanda found strength in memory, unity in tradition, and healing in its own voice.
