"When we began to live together and meet in peace, our lives started to change. Before, even hearing someone mention their husband who was in prison would make me angry. But after forgiving, I began to live again. I found joy in community and purpose in helping others heal."

Anonymous

Secretary

"At first we were broken. Completely broken. Emotionally we were destroyed. But when we began learning, when we met the survivors in that group, something happened inside us. We realized we had to remove hatred and fear from our hearts. Slowly, the pain reduced. We started living again. We regained dignity in our hearts."

Anonymous

Team leader

"It changed how I interact with others, especially with those we once hurt. Today, we even marry into each other’s families. For example, my son married the daughter of a genocide survivor. We now have godchildren from those families. It gave us courage and helped us overcome fear. I am no longer the person I was. I feel peace in my heart."

Anonymous

Team leader

"In our relationships with others, we’ve made great progress. Even at the village level, when people face difficult situations, they say, ‘Call those from Ubutwari bwo Kubaho, they know how to resolve such matters properly.’ We handle conflict resolution in a peaceful and constructive way. We live harmoniously with others, and even those outside the program recognize it. We have become exemplary in how we interact with others in the country."

Anonymous

Advisor

"Emotionally, we healed. When I met survivors and shared honestly, the emotional wounds in my heart were healed. Economically, we raise animals, save money in groups, pay for health insurance, wear decent clothing, and eat well. Even our grandchildren are studying. We are proud parents and grandparents contributing to our country."

Anonymous

Team leader

"It helped me develop economically. We were given livestock. That was development. Once I have enough, I will help others too. They also taught us hygiene, how to wash clothes, keep clean, and bathe. That’s another form of development. We were taught how to speak respectfully, how to resolve conflict peacefully. We even joined a microfinance institution called RIM, where we got loans to buy beans and grains. We repaid with interest, and it changed our lives."

Anonymous

Team leader

"During the genocide commemoration period (Icyunamo), we carry out specific activities. In our interactions, we visit genocide survivors and provide them with support. We gather together and offer assistance, not just to one individual, but to many. During every Icyunamo, we always come together to support people. We collect food or tools and donate them according to the person's identity, condition, and specific needs."

Anonymous

Executive

"We’re growing old, and we want to leave a legacy. That’s why we formed two groups: Inyange and Urumuri. We decided that our journey of unity and reconciliation should not end with us. We wanted our children and grandchildren to continue. So we created Inyange Cooperative for women and Urumuri for the youth."

Anonymous

Inyange and Urumuri

"Inyange and Urumuri are formed primarily by the children of Ubutwari Bwo Kubaho members. Some are educated and others are uneducated. We made sure both kinds could participate, those who had the chance to go to school and those who did not. That diversity is our strength."

Anonymous

Inyange and Urumuri

"Inyange is a cooperative where members, mostly the children of the original members,practice saving, small business, and agriculture. It keeps the economic benefits of reconciliation alive."

Anonymous

Inyange and Urumuri

"Urumuri means ‘light.’ It is a youth group where younger members learn our songs, our stories of reconciliation, and how to carry this peace forward. They perform dramas, poems, and visits to other communities to teach peace."

Anonymous

Inyange and Urumuri

"When you see Urumuri meeting, you see the young generation learning the meaning of reconciliation, of working together. They know that what divided us before must never return. We teach them through actions, through joint savings, visits, and community work."

Anonymous

Inyange and Urumuri

"Inyange and Urumuri are like two seasons of the same tree. We are the roots, they are the fruits. We gave birth to this light, and now they will make it shine further than we ever could."

Anonymous

Inyange and Urumuri