Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Rwanda commemorated the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi (Kwibuka31) with a visit to the Ntarama Genocide Memorial in Bugesera District on Tuesday, May 27.

The visit deepened the Scholars’ understanding of Rwanda’s tragic history, the country’s journey of resilience and hope, and their role in ensuring that genocide never happens again, as the program nurtures them to become the next generation of transformative leaders in Africa and beyond.

The visit offered Scholars, faculty, and partners an opportunity to engage with the Genocide history in Bugesera and reflect on the atrocities committed there. During the visit, it was recalled how the area had become a place of forced relocation for Tutsi families, who were pushed from their homes across the country in a campaign to strip them of property and dignity..

In both Bugesera and the former Gisaka region, Tutsi residents lived under constant surveillance and were frequently arrested under accusations of being connected to the Rwanda Patriotic Army, known as Inkotanyi.

Ntarama Memorial itself stands on the site of one of the Genocide’s most tragic massacres. A former church, it became a killing ground during the Genocide, where women, children, and men were slaughtered and their bodies piled inside the sacred space.

"I was in disbelief over what happened here,” said Landrada Iradukunda, a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Rwanda. "I know the Genocide took place across the country, but it’s devastating to think a place of worship became a site of horror. Seeing this with my own eyes has made me approach even my studies differently. It’s troubling that we were told bodies are still being discovered today. Some people still hide the truth of where victims were buried”.

After touring the memorial, Scholars laid wreaths in remembrance of the victims before extending support to Genocide survivors living in the Ntarama sector. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars donated two cows valued at Rwf2 million, along with essential household items.

Assoc. Prof. Anne Marie Kagwesage, Program Director of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Rwanda said that visiting the Ntarama Genocide Memorial reinforces the importance of remembering our past, fosters reflection, and equips Scholars, as young ethical leaders, with the resilience and responsibility needed to build a peaceful Africa.

Prof. Florien Nsanganwimana, Principal of the University of Rwanda’s College of Education and the UR’s lead representative at the event, emphasised the importance of memorial visits in the university’s annual calendar.

"We do this every year as part of the broader university community because we serve Rwanda, and a large portion of our students are young,” Prof. Nsanganwimana said. "Teaching them the history of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi is crucial. Some of our students and Mastercard Foundation Scholars come from outside the country and may have only heard about it in passing, without a full understanding.

"Rwanda’s history matters deeply to us, and we want all students, regardless of background, to understand this tragedy as a way to confront the ideologies that still appear today.” he said.

He added that Genocide is not spontaneous, but something taught, and to combat it, knowledge is key. "Without accurate information, young people are vulnerable to being led astray. 'Never again' must become a reality, and that starts with being informed. This visit offered a powerful opportunity to learn firsthand what happened.”

Offering advice to students, Prof. Nsanganwimana urged them to take full advantage of the country’s many memorial sites.

"Memorials are a vital source of knowledge. Our divisions were a result of poor governance in the past. As future leaders, students must commit to fighting genocide ideology and continue along the path of resilience and national development.”

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Rwanda is a 10-year partnership (2021-2031) between the University of Rwanda and the Mastercard Foundation that aims to develop the next generation of transformative leaders by enabling highly talented, service-oriented young people, primarily young Africans, to pursue higher education and cultivate their leadership potential.

The University of Rwanda currently hosts 492 Mastercard Foundation Scholars from across the African continent. The programme supports both undergraduate and postgraduate studies in selected academic programs.