EXCITING NEWS...our summer program is here!
Discover Rwanda 2012 Programme
09/07/2012 - 02/08/2012
KIGALI
Day 1 – 09/07/2012 [Monday]
Morning: Participants arrive in Rwanda at Kigali International Airport in Kanombe
Lunch: Camellia Tea House in Kigali City Centre
Afternoon: Change money, purchase local sim cards, relax at hostel and explore
Dinner: Welcome Dinner and drinks atBuffalo Village Bar and Restaurant
Evening: Free time to adjust to being in Rwanda
Day 2 - 10/07/2012 [Tuesday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Discover Rwanda Briefing from Sam Boarer and Yannick Tona
Lunch: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Afternoon: Tour of Kigali
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Evening: Free time to adjust to being in Rwanda
Day 3 - 11/07/2012 [Wednesday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning: Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Welcome from Aegis Trust Rwanda by Solange Umulisa (Aegis Rwanda Deputy Director) and Aegis Students Rwanda by Yannick followed by guided Tour of Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.
Lunch: Museum Café – Kigali Genocide Memorial
Afternoon: Visit the memorial for the Belgian UN Peacekeepers who were killed during the genocide as part of UNAMIR Peacekeeping mission
Visit the house of the Former Rwandan President - Juvenal Habyarimana – who was president until the genocide started on April 7th 1994 – he died when the presidential plane was shot down on April 6th with both him and the former Burundian President, inside.
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Day 4 - 12/07/2012 [Thursday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Visit the Nyabarongo River where many Tutsis were thrown during the genocide to be killed – many after they had been severely maimed so they were unable to swim. Often the Interahamwe would say that throwing Tutsi in the river was like sending them by a shortcut back to Abyssinia where many said the Tutsi had come from.
Visit Ntarama and Nyamata Memorials – two churches just outside Kigali where many Tutsi fled during the genocide to seek refuge, thinking that they would be protected in the church. Many Tutsi who had fled to churches in previous years had been safe as the militias were afraid to kill inside.
Time to sit and reflect at the memorial sites.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Afternoon: Visit Ecole Technique Officielle (ETO) – the school which the story in the film Shooting Dogs was about, then Visit Nyanza Memorial where those who had sought refuge with the United Nations at ETO, were massacred.
Visit Ibuka – the Umbrella organization for genocide survivors in Rwanda and have a presentation and discussion about their work.
Visit AVEGA – the national association for survivors of the genocide who are widows. Have a presentation and discussion about their work
Dinner: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Evening: Power of Image Film Screening: Ghosts of Rwanda
Day 5 - 13/07/2012 [Friday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Visit the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) for a discussion about their role fighting genocide ideology in Rwanda, in commemoration and remembrance.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: Time off from scheduled activities
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
SOUTH PROVINCE
Day 6 - 14/07/2012 [Saturday] early start + overnight stay in Butare
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning: Depart for Southern Province and Rwanda’s second city, Butare. Visit Kabwayi Memorial - one of the memorials which shows the role and complicity of the church in the Rwandan genocide.
Afternoon: Murambi Memorial centre near to Butare town – the site of a school where thousands of men, women and children fled for safety in 1994 and where the French operation called Zone Turquoise was. The remains of many of the victims of the genocide have been left unburied and preserved in lime.
Evening: AERG (Association for Student Genocide Survivors) Visit the AERG group in the National University of Rwanda (NUR). Pay respects at memorial for students and teachers who were killed at the National University during the genocide and talk with and spending evening with students.
Day 7 - 15/07/2012 [Sunday]
Breakfast: Hotel in Butare
Morning: Visit the National Museum of Rwanda in Butare to learn about the history of Rwanda, culture, language, colonial times, music, food, traditions and the genocide. See the performing traditions of Rwanda.
Afternoon: Visit the former traditional and modern kings palaces Nyanza
Evening: Travel back to Kigali
Dinner: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
KIGALI
Day 8 - 16/07/2012 [Monday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a discussion about their role and work in Rwanda and abroad
An audience with the British High Commissioner – learn about the role and projects of the British Government in Rwanda as well as their projects in aid and development for the country.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: Visit the Parliament of Rwanda – hosted by the Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights and the Fight against genocide.
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Evening: Free time to sit and reflect on the day’s activities, update workbook, discuss activities and update blogs.
Day 9 - 17/07/2011 [Tuesday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning: Visit the Canada Embassy to learn about the role and projects of the United States Government in Rwanda, as well as their projects in aid and development for the country.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: Visit the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, and have a presentation and discussion about their work.
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Day 10 - 18/07/2012 [Wednesday]
Morning: Meeting with Office of the President of the Republic of Rwanda
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: Meeting with Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
NORTH PROVINCE
Day 11 - 19/07/2012 [Thursday] overnight stay in Gisenyi
Morning and Afternoon: Travel to Gisenyi on lake Kivu. Visit the Volcanoes National Park on the way and climb a volcano if group interested.
Lunch: Musanze (Formerly Ruhengeri)
Afternoon and Evening: Arrive in Gisenyi, check into accommodation and go for dinner at Stippag Hotel
Day 12 - 20/07/2012 [Friday]
Morning: Free time in Gisenyi to explore the town, visit volcanic hot springs, hike along different trails and shop
Afternoon: Depart for Kigali
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
KIGALI
Day 13 - 21/07/2012 [Saturday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Visit Aegis Rwanda Social Affairs Department beneficiaries, hear about the programme and what it is doing to help survivors of the genocide and listen to the testimony of one of the Survivors.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: Take part in a Football match with Kigali Genocide Memorial Staff, Discover Rwanda participants and some of the orphans supported by the Aegis Social Programme
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Day 14 - 22/07/2012 [Sunday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning: Volunteering at Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel – a Social Enterprise of Aegis Trust.
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Day 15 – 23/07/2012 [Monday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning: Volunteering with genocide survivors.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: Time off from organized activities
Day 16 - 24/07/2012 [Tuesday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning: Meeting at the Ministry of Justice to learn about Justice System in Rwanda
Visit the United Nations International Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Kigali to learn about their work.
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Afternoon: - Visit to and discussion with the Gacaca Courts - the court in change of judging people who participated in the genocide in Rwanda.
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Evening: Free time to sit and reflect on the day’s activities, update workbook, discuss activities and update blogs.
Day 17 - 25/07/2012 [Wednesday]
Morning and Afternoon: Aegis Students International Conference. See separate programme for conference itinerary.
Evening: Party to celebrate the 11th anniversary of Aegis Trust!
KIGALI AND EAST PROVINCE
Day 18 - 26/07/2012 [Thursday]early start + overnight stay in Kibuye
Morning: Visit the ICTR centre for research in Kigali
Lunch: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Afternoon: Depart for Akagera National Game Park for Discover Rwanda Safari.
Evening: Put up tents in Akagera Game Park, relax and share stories around the camp fire and in the Akagera Game Lodge
Day 19 - 27/07/2012 [Friday]
Breakfast: Take Away Breakfast from the game lodge for an early start on the safari
Morning: Wake early to visit the National Game Park - Akagera for Safari whilst the animals are out grazing and searching for food.
Lunch: By the side of lake Muhazi
Afternoon: Relax by the lake and then travel back to Kigali - arriving late afternoon
Dinner: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
KIGALI
Day 20 - 28/07/2012 [Saturday] Umuganda – community service (details in DR brochure)
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Day 21 – 29/08/2012 [Sunday]
Morning: free time from scheduled activities
Lunch and Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
WEST PROVINCE early start + overnight stay in KibuYE
Day 22 - 30/07/2012 [Monday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Travel Kibuye in the western province of Rwanda.
Visiting Nyange Memorial on the way
Lunch: Hotel Guest House Bethanie – on the lake side
Afternoon: Visit Kibuye Town memorial
Day 23 - 31/07/2012 [Tuesday]
Morning: Visit the Amahoro island on Lake Kivu
Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
KIGALI
Day 24 – 01/08/2012 [Wednesday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda YouthHostel
Morning: Meeting withRwanda Development Board who are concerned with the development of Rwanda in three main areas of Tourism, IT and Investment.
Afternoon: Programme De-briefing and information about what participants can do to help support Aegis in Rwanda and engage with their community on their return home.
Lunch and Dinner: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Day 25 - 02/08/2012 [Thursday]
Breakfast: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Morning and Afternoon: Free day to go shopping and explore Kigali, return to any sites, conduct interviews, re-visit sites, memorials, conduct research and so on. Transport will be at your disposal
Lunch: Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Evening: Relax and departures
- Rwanda Cinema Centre Film Festival (It is a festival organized by the Rwanda Cinema Centre across the country screening movies and documentation - some made by Rwandans)
- Quiz Night at Sol e Luna Pub/restaurant every Monday
- Salsa Lessons at Horizon and Pasadena
- Karaoke at Maman Africa bar, restaurant, club
