Restoring Hope with Reconciliation Ambassadors

Rwanda Partners has formed a network of 120 reconciled genocide survivors, perpetrators and lay church leaders who we call our Reconciliation Ambassadors. Each of these individuals have gone through one of our Reconciliation Workshops and through a Training of the Trainers workshop. They have been paired up in teams of two – one perpetrator and one survivor, one Hutu and one Tutsi, and are now taking what they have learned to their communities and churches. These 120 ambassadors live in the communities where Rwanda Partners works and spread the message of reconciliation and counsel those in need.  Ambassadors meet every month for a day to pray together, provide encouragement and discuss what is currently happening in their communities.  Ambassadors also lead reconciliation seminars with Rwanda Partners staff. This past year they each received a bicycle (thanks to the generosity of Global Bikes, a US nonprofit) which helps them take their message of forgiveness and reconciliation where they couldn’t reach before.

In addition, Rwanda Partners has established a Reconciliation Ambassadors Cassava Farm Plantation to help these impoverished ministers of reconciliation provide for their families from the sale of cassava to the local market. In addition, working the Farm together helps to solidify and strengthen their relationships with one another and serves as a symbol of reconciliation and hope to the surrounding community.

“The bikes have helped us with the work of reconciliation. When a survivor needs to borrow the bike, I am able to give it to them. It helps us to become friends and show them love. Whenever anyone is distressed or traumatized, people can call an Ambassador and we can rush over and help them. We Ambassadors are spread out all over the region – the bikes help us all to stay connected. Now we can reach everyone in need!”      –Francis, Ambassador

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