On March 12, 2020 students from United States of America paid a visit to Mageragere TIG Camp located in Mageragere Sector, Nyarugenge District, in learning about how TIG is paving a way for reconciliation and development of Rwanda after Genocide against Tutsi in 1994.

At the RCS General Headquarters, these students received briefing on reason why Rwandan Government chose TIG program as an alternative sentence to imprisonment and its impact on national development before visiting Mageragere TIG Camp. After the briefing, students were given a time to discuss and to question about TIG. 

The students are in Rwanda pursuing their semester abroad program, framed as “Rwanda: Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding”. They are university students though their faculties are different; some of them study Journalism, Social Work, Conflict Management, and so forth. This act is part of their field-based learning process.

Superintendent of Prison Jashi Jawabu, TIG Monitoring Director , in Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), has explained a lot about the impact of TIG.

“TIG played a big role in development of our country, for the Tigists used in construction of vulnerable Genocide Survivors, Classrooms, Health Centers, roads, and strengthens Unity and Reconciliation process.” SP Jashi explained  

Tigists told US Students that they are treated well in the camp, because they have Medical Insurance Scheme, they are allowed to visit and be visited by their families, they are taught government program like, Ndi Umunyarwanda  that will help them while they reintegrate back into the community.

Celine Mukamurenzi, Academic Director and Representative of World Learning in Rwanda pointed out why Students from USA pay a visit on TIG Camp.

 “World Learning receives students from USA, who study from different faculties in united state  universities with various subjects. They come here in Rwanda to study the history of Genocide Against Tutsi in 1994, and the Unity and Reconciliation Program.” Celine clarified

Celine said that before visiting TIG Camps, Students learnt about the history of Rwanda, Gacaca Courts, visit Genocide Memorial sites, and then visit TIG Camps around the country.

Students get firsthand information on what happened in Rwanda, the Unity and Reconciliation among Rwandan community through conversing Genocide Survivors and individuals who confessed their involvement in 1994 Genocide Against Tutsis (Tigists).

This is a fourth time that World Learning welcomes students from USA who are in semester abroad program.

This time, students from USA were 25 and visited Mageragere TIG Camp that housed 22 women and 35 men.

Students receives briefing on TIG Program at RCS General Headquarters

Students at Mageragere TIG camp, were explained its impact on national development

Cecille Mukamurenzi, Academic Director and Representative of World Learning in Rwanda let the students know the history of TIG Program

Tigists at Mageragere TIG Camp were very happy for being visited by American students