International Women's Day

Noella and I. 

Yvette and Celine, the HR Director who took me to the hospital when I was sick. 

Me and Odette. 

     So I’ve been without water for four days now. Well, that’s not fully true since the water has come on at night for a few hours, but usually it’s right before I go to bed. I’ve become very good at racing to wash dishes, fill my hot water kettle, wash my face and clean my toilet (which is starting to smell like a port-a-potty) as soon as the water turns on. I never thought I’d be using so much hand sanitizer in my own house! I think I’m used to not having water all the time, but it sure does complicate things like laundry, washing dishes, going to the bathroom and staying clean. I guess it’s just one of those “Oh Africa” things.

     Starting this week my family began doing Individual Evaluations. Basically we go through every member of the family, discuss their background and behaviors and figure out an action plan. The action plan targets their challenges so we can work together as a team to overcome these burdens in order to allow the student to excel and grow to their full potential. It is amazing to be in a room of about 10 people (including people form Administration, Formal Education, Informal Education, Mental Health and the family) that are committed to helping all of the students at Agahozo to grow. This place really is committed to the youth and in helping them “dry their tears.”

     Last night all of the volunteers went out to a real restaurant for dinner. I was so lovely. I had a nicoise salad, spaghetti with tuna, chicken fajitas and an African tea (don’t worry, I split with someone else). Chicken fajitas in Rwanda, can you believe it? My brother will be so happy! But it was really nice to get out of the Village with the other volunteers and eat a tasty meal.

     Before I go too far, let me back track and tell you all about International Women’s Day here at ASYV. The theme in Rwanda this year was “Empower Women and Girls to Sustain Families.” The whole ceremony was incredible! The ceremony started after lunch and lasted two hours. Each grade wore a different color. By grade they entered the Dining Hall. The last to enter were all of the Mamas wearing mushananas, the traditional dress (Don’t worry, you’ll get to see me in one for the upcoming wedding I’ll be attending with Mable and Barrett). Once everyone was in the room, the ceremony began. The schedule was as follows:

National Anthem

Traditional Dance

Welcoming Speech by Mama Augusta

Song by Young Braves (a group made up of four students)

Poem by Enrichment Year student Diane Kabiyoni

Sketch

Poem by Informal Educator Maytal Schmidt

Traditional Dance by Mamas and Counselors

Village Director Speech by Jean Claude Nkulikiyimfura

MIGEPROF (Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion) Speech

Concluding Remarks by Anne Heyman

Traditional Dance

Reception

It was truly unbelievable to see the entire community come together to celebrate the power and beauty of women. Watching the Mamas, many of whom are survivors of the Genocide, come together to perform a traditional dance and song was very inspiring. It spoke to the power to move forward from pain to use one’s experience to uplift and motivate future generations of Rwandan youth. I even had the privilege to be involved in the ceremony. It was such an honor to read a poem in front of 500 youth, 100 staff and many visitors, especially on such an important day. In the end, I chose to read “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou (It was made into a song by the same name by Ben Harper). A few days later, a Senior 6 student, Lois, came up to me to thank me for reading the poem. She told me that the message of resistance and strength in the poem speaks directly to the heart of ASYV. IT was so wonderful to hear this praise from such a strong young woman. The ceremony ended with a thoughtful poem read by founder Anne Heyman:

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a woman," she told him. 


"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will." 



Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?" 



"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say. 



The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry. Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?" 



God said: "When I made the woman she had to be special. 



I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort. 



I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children. 



I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining. 



I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly. 





I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart. 



I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly. 



And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed." 



"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. 



The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

The ceremony spoke to the inner strength of women and the support by men of women’s journey to find themselves. The ceremony ended with a reception full of juice, pizza (sans cheese) and sambosas, so tasty!

     To continue on the note of Women’s Day, there was a girl’s football competition following the reception. My girls were competing so I went to the field to support them. I went directly on the field to pump them up before the game. My girls looked so happy to have my support. Unfortunately they lost but it’s the effort that counts, right? This is in line with a quote that is held deeply in the Village: “Try and fail but don't fail to try." 

     Pictures of International Women's Day to come...