Rwanda

During the 1994 genocide in Rwanda over 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutu were killed by members of the Hutu ethnic group.  Since then, Rwanda has been struggling to recover from the pervasive social and physical devastation of this violence, which includes: intensive refugee challenges as exiled Tutsis returned to the country and Hutus fled, but later returned; massive numbers of orphans and households headed by children or women; a rapid rise in the incidence of HIV-AIDS; widespread destruction of  physical and technical infrastructure; land and property disputes; high levels of mistrust, trauma and other interpersonal challenges; and intense poverty.

In 2011, Karuna Center began a conflict assessment of Rwanda for USAID. In addition, an exhibit of genocide rescuers is traveling to high schools throughout Rwanda, accompanied by dialogues on tolerance and reconciliation with schools and communities, as part of a "Rescuers Project" KCP developed with the Gisozi Memorial Museum in Kigali.

Peace Leadership for Rwandan Women

Since 2003, Karuna Center in partnership with women NGO staff at the national level have worked to help prepare Rwandan women to assume effective leadership roles in the process of building a peaceful culture.

Due to the mass killing of men during the genocide, women are currently a majority in Rwanda and are assuming new roles as single parents, entrepreneurs, and government officials. Karuna Center’s partner, ProFemmes Twese Hamwe, is an umbrella organization connecting 42 women's organizations throughout the country. Together, we created a four-part training series extending over a period of two years. Participants developed skills in analyzing conflicts, resolving disputes within their communities and organizations, and teaching these skills to others. The ability to resolve conflicts without violence is integral to the establishment of a more secure environment between Hutus and Tutsis, who continue to live as neighbors. Following the four trainings, we returned to serve as mentors as participants designed and conducted their own peacebuilding workshops for local leaders and other women’s organizations. As our participants are increasingly sought out as mediators and leaders in their communities and jobs, they have gained confidence and recognize that they have a central role to play in the larger process of building a peaceful country.

The Karuna Center has also held capacity building workshops in conflict transformation and reconciliation for Rwanda’s Department of Justice and the government-led National Unity and Reconciliation Commission.