Twenty-eight years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda recovered and made tremendous progress that should inspire other African countries to change the narrative that Africa is a poor and disorganised continent. Ghanaian social entrepreneur and philanthropist Matthew Mensah says African countries can learn a lot from Rwanda when it comes to getting things done and positioning themselves on the global map. Mensah, who is also the Ambassador for Ghana on tourism, arts and culture and founder of Rebranding Africa agency, says Rwanda has set the example of a country that is looking to defy the narrative that African countries are not just impoverished but also messy. The celebrated PR expert, who was recently in Rwanda to partner with the Visit Rwanda brand said in an interview with The New Times, that while there are many things that can be attributed to Rwanda’s success, her biggest asset are the people. “Im really still so blown away by how friendly and how kind people are,” Mensah says, adding that apart from hospitality, there are certain things that give a good impression. “I personally think that this country is probably the safest country Ive ever been to and Im not trying to talk bad about other countries, but it is not a secret,” Mensah said, citing several African countries where crime is rampant. He said that in Rwanda, you can walk on the streets by yourself, feeling safe and the people become really helpful and friendly when you are looking to buy something like ‘Akabanga’. Mensah says that it gives a good impression about the country and its people and it is something other African countries can emulate and shed off the negative connotations used to define them. As an anti-Gender Based Violence (GBV) advocate, he believes Rwanda has done all the right things that make women and girls feel protected. Mensah, who was recently a judge at Miss Rwanda 2022 finale, said that as a passionate tourism ambassador, said that Rwanda has a lot to offer to the world, from nature and greenery to landscapes and touristic sites, all of which provide ripe opportunities for investment. He attributes Rwanda’s progress to good leadership which prioritises the interests of the country first. “It just shows that if you have a very good leader with a really strong vision, you can actually change. If you drive around Kigali, you can see how clean it is everywhere,” “Theres absolutely no reason why the rest of the countries on the continent cannot be like Rwanda. We all know the history of Rwanda, what happened here in 1994 but the country has been able to move on from that,” Mensah said, adding that Rwanda can be a role model for other African countries that have been trying to make things work for more than 50 years. Unity and good governance Mensah said that today Rwanda stands out as a unified country where people have a strong common stand of developing the country, moving it from one step to another. The entrepreneur said that the year 1994 was a very sad period for with the genocide but Rwandans were able to move from it and to come to be such a unified strong country. “Theres so much harmony and respect around each other. That is something that all of us on the continent and in the world can take a lesson from,” adding that good governance is one of the most important aspects that have made it possible. He said that in his work, he has dealt with a number of government agencies and private sector players but one thing he observed is that both the government and private sector work with one common goal of developing the country for the better. “When you speak to people here, they have the same message and passion, whether it is an individual or an institution. They all work for the better of Rwanda “President Kagame has really shown us that with good leadership and good vision, we can make changes that everybody else benefits from,” he said, adding that he takes it upon himself to tell people the benefits whenever they ask him about investment opportunities. He pointed out that he is looking to organise youth empowerment events, bringing together young people from different parts of the continent. “Rwanda is one of the best places to host an event like that because the government understands and they are actively involved in trying to improve the situation of the youth through education,” Mensah says. He pointed out that he was interested by friend to come to Rwanda and when he did, he realised that the country was doing the most to transform and he felt the need to make his own contribution through several projects in the lifestyle and entertainment industry, which he is currently working on. Miss Rwanda experience Mensah, who was a judge at Miss Rwanda 2022, said that he was really impressed by the organisation, production and the quality of the event in general, but most of all he was mesmerised by the cultural showcase. “The cultural performance really gave me goosebumps. It was really brilliant and for me, as an ambassador for tourism, arts and culture, it was even more impressive,” he said, adding that the performance by the finalists touched his heart and those of many. “When they did the performance, it showed that people really love and really are proud of their traditions and the culture, which for me was pretty amazing to be able to experience,” he said. Mensah said that the performances by Bruce Melodie and Nel Ngabo proved that Rwandan music has evolved and is now ready for the international market. He said part of his projects in Rwanda involves working on a number of collaborations between Rwandan artistes and renowned African artistes as a way of promoting Rwandan music at the continental and global levels.
