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July 2008:
Tobias reports on his project to build
a Community Centre for genocide survivors in near Kigali.
"Once again
a team of Conservative MPs and Conservative Party enthusiasts ventured
to the heart of Rwanda to complete a major construction project
and understand more about the challenges facing Africa.
This is Conservative
‘social action’ going truly international. Last year we
rebuilt an orphanage, this year we have turned a derelict piece
of land into a fully functioning community centre, complete with
outdoor facilities, in the township of Kinyinya, North Kigali. We
have made a small but significant impact on the lives of the local
community and at the same time exposed UK politicians to a part
of the world still in need of our support 15 years after the West
so blatantly ignored this country’s cries for help.
With most Rwandans
living off less than one dollar a day, communal facilities are rare.
At Kinyinya there are 400 small dwellings built to house genocide
survivors, but until now there has been nowhere to convene and socialise,
debate, dance, sing and play sport. This year’s project attempted
to address this by transforming a barren plot of land into a large
community hall, complete with stage, botanical garden, a small football
pitch and an outdoor amphitheatre.
We were deluged
with support from over a hundred of the local villagers, some of
whom were employed previously as builders and electricians and others
who simply volunteered; keen to participate in a project that would
transform the social and educational dynamics of the village.
It has been
a demanding, enriching experience for everyone involved and we leave
behind a community centre which will transform the lives of over
400 families who survived the genocide. A drop in the ocean for
such a poor country yet significant enough to gain the attention
of the President to open the Centre.
Some may argue
that these initiatives do not warrant a fortnight’s expedition
to Africa and funds raised (including travel and accommodation costs
paid by volunteers) could pay local contractors to achieve the same
objective. Are there not domestic issues that deserve more attention?
This view fails to recognise the benefit gained by embedding ourselves,
albeit briefly, in the local culture so we can improve ways of helping
Africa help itself. DFID currently gives £50m a year to Rwanda
and it is in our interest to see this country, and indeed the region,
become more self sufficient. There are over three million refugees
in Rwanda alone. If the region became unstable again it would lead
to mass migration, including to Europe, and therefore become a domestic
issue.
Understanding
these issues so that they can be debated with a greater degree of
authority in Westminster would not be possible by simply sending
a cheque to Rwanda. As recent history has proven Africa’s unsolved
problems today often become greater international challenges tomorrow.
We depart from
Rwanda, not just having helped the local community, along with the
sister projects in health, education, legal structures and microfinance,
but a little wiser on how we may be able to assist Africa in looking
after itself."
(The project
was paid for by donations to the Conservative Party. All participants
paid their own way and the carbon foot prints of all flights were
off set using registered UN approved schemes.)
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