Remembering with hope and resilience

Nineteen years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, our hearts still break for those whose wounds of loss won’t heal and for those whose need far more than just recovery. Today Rwandans stand with hope without forgetting the loss and collapse as a result of 1994 tragedy. It’s this hope and resilience of those who survived this human catastrophe that made Rwanda a country that its today. It was hope and optimism that got us through those tough times. We have to remind ourselves and those around us that there is hope for each of us. We have learnt cooperation and peaceful co-existence; it’s time to remind ourselves that through hard work we can make Rwanda a better country. For the past nineteen years, Rwandans have greatly relied on hope and resilience which have seen us through tough times and we shall continue doing so for the betterment of this country and posterity. I bestow hope and optimism to the victims of the 1994 Genocide. Over the years psychologists have advanced a lot of theories-cum-vehicles that would help human beings in time of difficulty or help in attaining individual goals. Such concepts include grit, self-efficacy, optimism, conscientiousness, passion, inspiration, among others traits. All these traits are incredibly important expectancies and contribute to the attainment of goals, they are of great value for any human survival, but one concept is always undervalued and underappreciated and it’s the concept of hope. Hope consists of agency and pathways. The person who has hope has the will and determination that goals will be achieved, and a set of different strategies at their disposal to reach their goals. For example in contrast to both self-efficacy and optimism, people with hope have both the will and the pathways and strategies necessary to achieve their goals. In short, hope involves the will to get there, and different ways to get there. Hope is a key battleground in our minds because Hope is the helmet and shield when we are in times of difficulty. When we don’t have hope, our mind is open to all kinds of attacks and we eventually succumb and resign to achieving our goal. So we need to know how to hope, when the situation looks hopeless. We need to know how to hope at the end of the rope. Each of us have something to offer during this difficult times when many Rwandan relatives and friends who were summarily executed by fellow Rwandans. This hope can be offered through material help, word of encouragement and association. Hope empowers and it’s recognised as one of the best tools and determinants for recovery. Pat Deegan, one of the world’s renowned psychologists, described the process of recovery as transition from despair, anguish, and pessimism to a new hope that life can be different, often born out of the presence of another person ready to provide support, love and care. Where and much as we can, let us be that hope for another person. A smile, a brief conversation, a short visitation or just being with someone in a difficult situation, like what most Rwandans are going through during this period, can make all the difference. And in giving to another, we may just find a reward of renewed hope for ourselves. Peace and love to all Rwandans.The writer is an educationist, author and publisherEmail: mugisteve@yahoo.com