Author Judence Kayitesi has launched a new book, Guharanira Ubumwe (Quest for Unity), a Kinyarwanda version publication aimed at helping young people understand Rwanda’s history, particularly the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and promoting unity among the younger generation. The 37-page book was launched at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi and is available in Kinyarwanda, English and German. It targets children and young people, parents, teachers in Rwanda and beyond. ALSO READ: Teaching empathy through history: Kayitesi’s book guides teens on unity and resilience Kayitesi said she wrote the book to help parents and teachers create conversations with children about the Genocide against the Tutsi, noting that discussing the country’s painful history with children can sometimes be difficult for both survivors and perpetrators. “I wrote the book in a way of teaching and encouraging conversations with our children about the Genocide against the Tutsi, while supporting them in learning about Rwanda’s history in schools,” she said. Kayitesi, who is a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi, said the idea was also inspired by questions from her own children. “My children used to ask me some questions, but again I used to think about other parents that have the same case as mine,” she said. She said her own journey of healing influenced the message of the book, particularly the importance of love and self-acceptance. “My journey of healing was long. I started treating myself, loving myself, and after I loved my children and others. To spread love, you have first to love yourself,” she said. Kayitesi said the book encourages readers to understand unity as a practical responsibility rather than simply an idea. “Quest for unity means uniting with no divisionism, regardless of where you come from,” She said the lessons can also be applied in schools by encouraging children to work together without division. “The book encourages young people to learn from Rwanda’s history and the Genocide against the Tutsi while rejecting discrimination and divisionism.” ALSO READ: Kayitesi finds love after pain in her new book ‘Letters to Forever’ A journey towards unity Djamali Habimana, a policy and strategy analyst at the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), said the book would help young people understand the history of Rwanda, particularly the Genocide against the Tutsi. Habimana said the book is dedicated to children aged 12 and above and was written in a way that makes its message easy for children to understand. The book also examines how discrimination and divisionism destroyed families and society during the First and Second Republics and ultimately contributed to the Genocide against the Tutsi, he said. Nelson Cyusa, one of the youth who attended the launch, said reading Guharanira Ubumwe helped him understand how division and hatred were gradually introduced into Rwandan society and passed from one generation to another. He said the book also taught him that unity requires action rather than words.
