Rwanda ‘ s Liberation
Women Cadet Officers parading on the Commissioning Ceremony | Gako , 26 April 2021
away so he shrugged , embarrassed by her gratitude . A few months later , someone came to see him at work and passed him an envelope in hushed tones . He opened it and found a receipt . A few days later , he became an RPF member . “ Her accountability convinced me that even in war , these details mattered .”
If you have watched movies where there is some sort of military training , you will remember the part of soldiers jumping over a wooden wall with heavy backpacks and guns . You will notice that the first soldier doesn ’ t jump right away , but takes a knee and either shoulders the next soldier or uses his palmed hands to lift up the next soldier in line . This means that the first soldier will often be last up the wall , pulled up by those who have already gone over . This analogy reminds me of the men and women who stopped the Genocide of the Tutsi and liberated Rwanda .
Today , we are jumping over what seems like insurmountable walls , spring boarded by the example and sacrifices of women and men who chose to , according to President Paul Kagame , “ stay together , to be accountable , and to think big .” Unity . Accountability . Vision .
A few years ago , I asked my aunt , who was one of those young women who traveled at night in the eastern DRC for the cause , why she did it . “ I felt that if people were giving their lives so we could have a country , I also needed to take courage , and do something , however small it was .” This is Agaciro – the dignity you give yourself through choices , hard work , personal accountability and sacrifice .
This sense of personal responsibility and the urgency of the situation brought many women into the liberation ranks as soldiers , officers , doctors , nurses , fundraisers , trainers , cooks etc . The RPF , like other African liberation movements , had women in the highest ranks of leadership .
Women at the center of reconstruction
Women became central to the reconstruction of Rwanda . Women led the efforts around unity and reconciliation . In fact , Pro-Femme Twese Hamwe , an umbrella organization of women ’ s rights groups , was instrumental in training Abunzi , the Gacaca court citizen judges , ensuring that there were at least 30-40 percent women .
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