I live in a neighbourhood called Kimihurura, in the centre of Kigali. It's an upscale suburb that is home to foreign expatriates and wealthy Rwandans.
Lush flora of almost every shape and colour surround the red dirt roads that wind throughout the district.
Like most places in Rwanda, Kimihurura rests on a hilltop. It looks over a picturesque gully where roadworks, construction and billboards have taken the place of flowers and trees.
It is a place of heart-rending beauty.
Despite its splendour, it is poorer than any Canadian community I have ever lived in.
In the shadow of the ornate gates guarding the compounds of wealthy foreigners, children live in tin-roofed hovels.
Despite sparse living conditions, the innumerable youngsters who fill the streets are friendly, playful and curious.
Just minutes from the Rwanda Initiative compound, children excitedly make do with whatever toys they can find.
A stick wrapped in string or a rubber band used as chewing gum is amusement enough for many of the neighbourhood children.
I was told in Canada that it's easy to make friends quickly if you're willing to plan ahead. So before leaving I made a trip to the sports section of my local Wal-Mart.
To most kids I know, a $5 soccer ball wouldn't mean much. When I was young, soccer balls were far less interesting than the 16-bit graphics of my Sega Genesis. Here, children are far less spoiled than I was.
I'd like to make clear that I did not give the kids a soccer ball. I traded them one.
They let me take pictures for my blog and I gave them the ball in exchange.
As my friend Mbonisi told me earlier this evening, there are some places that are so poor the people only have their smile to give. I'm not sure if that's the case in Kimihurura but I thought the smiles of these children were worth something anyway.
After trading them the ball, we all played a short game of kick the ball, pick it up, run around in circles, then throw it. I'm still not familiar with the rules of the game, but I'm pretty sure we tied.
Anyway, if for $5 dollars I've been able to ingratiate myself into the neighbourhood and make some friends while I'm here, I'll consider it a profitable venture.
I had fun and hope the kids will let me join their crew.
i always look forward to every single visit from outside, which shatters the myth of how we cant help ourselves. I love how you love Africa.
ReplyDeleteIts Mbonisi, by the way...sorry for using your computer.
ReplyDeleteCam,
ReplyDeleteThat was the one thing about Rwanda that I too remember, was the kids. During that time, there was such a strange existence for them. I remember when we went out of the stadium to get water to run through our water purification unit, that the kids were, well for lack of a word, innocent. They played what they could, with what they had, and where they could (9 times out 10, right in the middle of the road my truck had to use). When we went anywhere, we would bring footballs (both types), baseballs, and who knows, there might be 1 or 2 Frisbees kicking around town still. The kids always had smiles and fun in unlimited supply.
There was also the bad side of kids too. One of the earlier water points for us was north of the city, towards Giozi. We were taking water out of an aquafir that at the base of a hill off the road. Just north of that point and over a hill, there was an RPF camp. We met with our 'counter parts' to exchange pleasantries quite often. One day, the RPF captain brought some of his troops with him. They were all so very young! Not one of them was older than 14! I was surprised that the 14 year old boy, Paul, was a Sargent, and was armed with an AK47! I couldn't tell if they were 'playing' army, like I used to do back in the day, or if they really believed that they should be doing what they were. It sadden me and angered me, and maybe that was the first part of me that stayed in Africa.
I wish to say thank-you for those kind words on your last post, but I certainly do not feel like a hero in any respect. Stay well my friend.
Murabeho amahoro, which if memory serves translates to Go in peace (or something like that).
Cheers,
Jim
Jim,
ReplyDeleteYou'll be happy to know I have seen no children with AK-47s–or any other kind of weapon–in Rwanda. At around 1500 however there are more children in school uniforms than I could even begin to count.
All the best,
Cam
P.S. Is there another way I can get in touch with you, preferably by email? I have an idea I was hoping to run by you.
ReplyDeleteMy email is cam.macintosh@gmail.com, let me know.
Cam
"there are some places that are so poor the people only have their smile to give." I really like that. Great pics, Cam!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosella. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, Jim. To avoid appearing cryptic, I'll let you know what I was thinking about.
ReplyDeleteMy mother, formerly a CBC reporter and producer, saw some of your comments on my blog and thought your story was interesting. (How you heard about my trip on the radio and started following my blog.)
I wanted to forward you a copy of the e-mail she sent me.
Best,
Cam
Great photos Cam! Looking forward to following your adventures.
ReplyDelete