How an art-loving American couple took a bold decision to relocate to Rwanda

For some people in Africa, relocating to the United States remains a lifetime goal, in pursuit of the proverbial American Dream. However, for some African Americans, they would rather relocate to Africa, not only to discover their roots but also a place where they can feel more welcome and appreciated. Such is the case for Atlanta natives Lamont and Adilah Muhammad, who took a bold decision to relocate to Africa, particularly Rwanda, where they say they feel at home, more loved and appreciated. They now intend to live in Rwanda for the rest of their lives. The couple with a background in culinary and fine art, has been settled in Rwanda for four months now, setting up a bistro café, known as Ikawa Kafe, located in Remera sector, Gasabo District. Though they set out to relocate to the continent of origin, Lamont and Adilah Muhammad don’t know which country their ancestors came from. All they knew was that their great grandparents were taken across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa during slave trade. “We have never had the ancestral DNA. My brother has done it, so we have some of this, some of that but we dont know where were from. We have lived our whole lives kind of missing that, not knowing what culture, what heritage, what African background we have,” noted Adilah Muhammad. “We just knew we were a product of the earth. We know that we have African blood, African skin. I dont care what part of or what country per se, Im just happy to be back here,” she adds. Not knowing their history is one of the reasons that motivated the Muhammads to find their way back to Africa, not just to go back to their roots but also to have a sense of belonging. “For us we just always wanted to go back home, go where we belong, where people want us to be. We spent a lot of time just fighting to be black in the States. Just being who we are, trying to be accepted and at one point we just said why do we keep doing this?” the South Jersey-born said, adding that they wanted to try something new. Having lived in Atlanta for 9 years, Adilah, 46, and Lamont, 49, decided to pack their bags and head to Africa. Rwanda it is At first, the couple wasn’t looking at Rwanda. Initially, they wanted to go to Ghana because everybody wanted them to go to the West African country, thinking that it is where they came from. “We all thought we must come from Ghana. Lets go there,” Adilah said, adding however that they had to research about the countries that would give them an opportunity to build their businesses, to own a house and to get citizenship. “On top of that, we were looking for a country that has leadership that will welcome us, that is for the people and loved by the people, because we have both of our mothers here,” she pointed out. A comfortable space to seat as you read or work while enjoying your cup of your choice inside Ikawa Kafe. She added that they wanted a place that was safe and would be easy for their parents to retire with ease. “When it came to all these things, Rwanda ticked all the boxes. The other countries we were looking at would miss something. We were really looking at Tanzania, but you cant do half of the things that we were talking about there,” she observed. Among other attributes they found out that attracted them was the fact that Rwanda was among the cleanest countries in the world and indeed for them, Rwanda is the cleanest country in the word. “We dont know about Singapore. We have never been there. So, for us Rwanda is the cleanest country in the world and that was very important,” she adds. To them, the fact that Rwanda is clean also means that the country has a cleaning system involving the people, which also means that the people care about where they are, who they are, and they care about their country, going by how they handle it and present themselves to the world. Amazing artwork by different Rwandan artists welcomes you as you enter Ikawa Kafe. This is one of the reasons that made it easy for them to make a decision. Apart from missing a few things back home like Walmart and Amazon stores, four months down the road, the transition has been an easy one. No regrets. Even when they meet challenges, they turn them into an opportunity to learn. As expected, there are things that they have had to adjust to and reprogram themselves but that is just part of the process. “Im trying to reprogramme myself, learning to slow down, learning to have patience, learning to just relax and just let it be and wait for it,” says Adilah, adding that they are taking time to absorb it all. “Outside that, the people, the housing and the beauty of Rwanda, has all been a great experience for us. It has been a very easy transition for me,” she points out. Finding happiness Adilah says she is in love with the people and everything they have seen in Rwanda- sometimes she just goes on the patio just to look at the beauty of the country, which makes her really emotional. “I am happy…..I actually get close to tears, just looking at the beauty, realizing how this is a blessing every day. I didnt feel that way in the States,” she says, adding that for them it is a blessing which they still struggle to believe. Ikawa Kafe is full of creative arts that keep you busy as you enjoy your cup of coffee. For the first time, they felt a sense of belonging and Rwanda offered them the environment they needed for their wellbeing. She advises people who wish to relocate to Africa to first study which country would fit their desires before moving, as Rwanda did for them. “We needed that quiet peace of mind. We love beauty, we love art. To find out that there is a country that is really artistic was awesome for us. The youth love art, there is art everywhere, even the scenery is art. “To find out that theres a country where you can walk down the street any time of day or night and its safe was really important for us because we didnt have that at home. To find out that the security here is for the people is major,” Adilah said. Other factors that informed their decision is the fact that there is no corruption in Rwanda and the fact that the country has made it clear that everyone is welcome to Rwanda and people encouraged them to come. Inside of Ikawa Kafe. As a matter of fact, the more people encouraged them to go to Rwanda, the more they felt loved and accepted, which is why people who wish to relocate from western countries to Africa need to do research to find out which country would fit their preferences. Love for adventure The adventure-loving couple says Rwanda offered everything they were looking for, including things they do which some people consider crazy. “We jump off waterfalls, we do hiking, canoeing, white-water, rafting, all kinds of crazy stuff. We love Adventure,” she said, adding that Rwanda had it all, regardless of the Covid-19 restrictions, which continue to make it difficult to do most outdoor activities. The couple records their activities on video wherever they go and publishes them on their YouTube channel “The Residential Tourists”, which they hope to populate with Rwandan content soon. “Now that we are here in Rwanda, we cant wait to explore the Volcanoes, the mountains, the gorillas, the monkeys, the lakes, the villages, the people and everything. Im so excited about this. This is our home now. This is our base. We plan to explore more of that,” Adilah says. The couple first came to Rwanda in January to visit and explore the opportunities and returned home to pack their bags. They came back to Rwanda on April 4, with hopes of settling down with their families, pursuing Rwandan citizenship and to live and die in Rwanda. As of today, they receive lots of messages and emails from people back home who want to know how they were able to do it and many really want to come. Lamont Muhammad, the owner of Ikawa Kafe having a conversation with one of the employees. “Every day were answering questions because people are ready for Rwanda. I hope Rwanda is ready for us,” Adilah jokingly adds, pointing out some have already committed to come and explore after they watch their videos. Others have expressed plans to buy land and start businesses. For Lamont Muhammad, the decision to move to Rwanda was more about expansion and wanting to be able to explore life fully, something they say was not easy to realize in the U.S. “We realized that in the States there was a ceiling to that- not able to fully and completely develop and grow mentally spiritually, emotionally financially, for that matter,” he said, adding that for them it was fulfilling to know that there is a big old world out there that they can explore and expand their horizons. Muhammad said that when they looked at Rwanda, the infrastructure, the wonderful leadership, the investment, security and ownership of the country by the people, it was solid for them to make a decision. Today, they have never felt at home and they also feel absolutely safe. “I literally feel like it has been home from the very beginning. Not one time did I feel like a stranger because the people are so accepting, open and welcoming,” Muhammad said, adding that most times people tell him that he is Rwandan. Open space at Ikawa Kafe where you can enjoy your drink food with fresh air. This is affirmed by their mothers, who they moved with to Rwanda, and they also feel 100% that their children are safe and found a home. “We have our mothers with us, my mother and her mother are both here as well, which is very important in the decision making and to be quite honest, when we came up with the idea, they were ready to go before I was ready to go,” “They were excited. They wanted to be here. So, it was so effortless. There was no need for convincing or anything. They were ready, desirous to come and theyre happy as well being here,” Muhammad said. Doing business Today, Lamont and Adilah Muhammad have opened their bistro business, which aligns with their interests in culinary culture and art, bound by their love for coffee. The aim was to establish a place where people can come and enjoy the companion of a cup of coffee, work or read a book in a beautiful environment. Their menu is a combination of American cuisine which can give the ‘traditional American experience’ as well as Rwandan and African dishes. Apart from providing a working environment, the café also provides artists with space to display their art pieces. The couple has also hired Rwandan chefs, baristas and other employees to tap into the rich Rwandan experience and also as a way of serving the country that has taken them in. In compliance with Covid-19 restrictions, the couple has been relying more on house-to-house deliveries which they do for free but as the restrictions each, they hope to see more traffic. They also run an Airbnb business targeting Americans who wish to come to Rwanda not just as tourists but also to explore investment opportunities.

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How an art-loving American couple took a bold decision to relocate to Rwanda