Students ‘see the light’ through ingando

NORTHERN PROVINCE BURERA — In the darkest hours during and shortly before the 1994 Genocide, today’s future of Rwanda, students joining and graduating from university, were still infants, unaware from what apocalypse they had been born. Today they are doing Ingando. As students camp for a month at Peace and Leadership Institute in Nkumba before joining different universities, they are taken through different course subjects including the history of the country, and the current social, political and economic trends taking place. Mukase Sandline, 21, a student at the institute describes her experience after completing ingando as having had an opportunity to have a “coordinated view of the country’s history,” especially the origin of ethnicity. Born and studied from Gakenke district, Mukase says she had never had an opportunity to listen to people like Maj.Gen.James Kabarebe before, but that the students were both excited and nervous about the training. “We never carried anything except two pairs of clothes to put on, then we got notebooks, millitary uniform, bouts, and sticks, everything looked strange.” Mugabo Eric recalls. For most, the day begins at 5 in the morning, with sports (muchakamuchaka). At 8 they resume classes with short intervals. Whereas they are used to listening to professional teachers, at the institute the teachers are ministers, consultants, and even generals. Dr. Jean Baptista Habyarimana, president of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. who closed the second phase of training, said the youth should become flag bearers in setting a new trend of development and reconciliation. Many Banyarwanda students in the Diaspora have shown interest in attending ingando and have sent applications asking to have their places reserved. ENDS