Meet Stella

Stella an active member of PLP and currently in her final year at the National University of Rwanda where she studies economics.  As a member of PLP, Stella has played a role in organizing the Watchman Visit to Niboye in 2010.  She is known by her peers as a lady with a big heart, especially when it comes to vulnerable children. Stella is willing to give a helping hand to people in need and PLP is a connector.  Friendly and kind, she is helping mobilize NUR students for Walk to Remember 2011.

1) Why do you participate as an organizer for W2R? What drives you? 

This is because that is where my passion lies, making sure, that at least my neighbor is as happy as I want them to be. Everyone needs compassion.

2) What makes you proud to be Rwandan?

Just the fact that I was simply born Rwandan, and I did not choose it makes me feel so proud. I love Rwanda.

3) What do you wish people knew about Rwanda?

The beauty, good intentions of the inhabitants, the uprising love and compassion in the country.

4) What is vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years? 

A beautiful country with a big economy, filled with love, compassion and smiles. Everyone must be fairly happy.

5) How do you bring about change in your community?

I do it by treating people around me in a way that I would love to be treated. It all comes out magically.

6) What do you think is the leading cause of war or genocide in one word?

Mindsets 

7) If you were asked to describe yourself with one word, what would it be?  

Compassionate

8) What do you want to be remembered for? 

A loving heart towards others, but especially children!

9) Favorite Rwandan delicacy?

Rice and milk 

10) Your definition of success? 

Achievement of one’s dreams without doing evil, or inconveniencing those around you.

Bonus: What song makes you want to bust a move? 

Abera Hose Icyarimwe

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Thanks, Stella! 

Meet Richard

Richard is also a founding member of Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP). He serves as the Head of UNC Departments and is involved in many of PLP's community service projects, such as, The Watchman. Richard has been a member of the Walk to Remember team since 2009.  In 2010, he had the privilege of addressing over 5,000+ of his countrymen and women while sharing the stage with President Paul Kagame. He is a leader among his peers who is known for his amazing voice and friendly demeanor. Richard is studying IT at the National University of Rwanda in Butare and is currently assisting in the coordination of Walk to Remember activities in Rwanda and throughout East Africa.

1) Why do you participate as an organizer for W2R? What drives you? 

W2R is a chance given to me to make the world a better place without me worrying about how influent or wealthy I am. I am driven by the thirst of harmony and peace.  

2) What makes you proud to be Rwandan?

What makes me proud to be Rwandan is first of all the beauty of the country (physical aspects: the thousand hills, lakes, the cool weather, etc.) then the way we as Rwandans have conditioned ourselves to believe that we are better than people from other countries which makes us love the country more and more every day knowing this: God spends his day travelling the world and when it to comes to rest and relax he is in Rwanda.

3) What do you wish people knew about Rwanda?

The thirst for a better united and developed nation we carry in our hearts as Rwandans.

4) What is vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years? 

I am looking forward to seeing Rwanda rise as an economic superpower in Africa and a school for development that was built on true reconciliation of the people and an everlasting unity. I also see an Africa free of war that rises to teach the world the values of a real human because I believe those values lie in the cradle of humanity which is Africa. 

5) How do you bring about change in your community?

I learn from the best to be a better person in order for me to be a living testimony of the change I am looking for: it is a journey towards perfection.

6) What do you think is the leading cause of war or genocide in one word?
Selfishness 

7) If you were asked to describe yourself with one word, what would it be?  
Lazy

8) What do you want to be remembered for? 

I want to be remembered for having tried my level best to do what is right and that I might have reached somewhere in my journey.

9) Favorite Rwandan delicacy?

Cow milk, and ugali

10) Your definition of success? 

I share this definition with someone else who said: "It's simply a matter of doing what you do best and not worrying about what the other fellow is going to do."

Bonus: What song makes you want to bust a move? 

Lucky Dube all time heat: "

Together as One" 

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Thanks, Richard!! 

Meet Angel

Angel has been involved in Walk to Remember activities since 2010 when she served as the Coordinator for Aegis Students Rwanda and led Walk to Remember in Uganda.  She is a leader among her peers who is full of energy and has a deep passion for her country and the arts. She is currently a performer for Mashirika Performing Arts located in Kigali, Rwanda, that uses performing arts as not only entertainment but also a tool for social transformation and a source of employment.  When not busy with Mashirika and her many other projects, Angel assists in the coordination of Walk to Remember activities in Rwanda and throughout East Africa.


1) Why do you participate as an organizer for W2R? What drives you?

The thing that drives me to be an organizer for Walk to Remember is the fact that I know that it is a way to spread the word about the Genocide and its dangers. It is also away to take ACTION against genocide.

2) What makes you proud to be Rwandan?

What makes me proud to be Rwandan, is seeing how Rwanda has raised from its aches of the genocide and genocide ideologies in a short period of time and seeing Rwandans working hard, together to make a better future for us all.

3) What do you wish people knew about Rwanda?

I wish people knew that Rwanda is not just about the Genocide, and that it is unfair to label Rwanda for only one historical period of its time. I wish they knew more about Rwanda’s rich culture, beautiful land, people and language and how Rwanda is now developing and moving forward at a very fast rate in all its domains.

4) What is your vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years?

My vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years is that Rwanda and Africa in general will be a peaceful and prosperous land for all other continents around the world to look up to and admire.

5) How do you bring about change in your community?

I bring change in my community through theater and performing arts- by acting singing and dancing to the reasons why discrimination and genocide ideologies are dangerous for our future to come.  I also encourage those around me (Friends and Family) to help fight genocide ideology, by taking part in events like Walk to Remember.

Other than that- with everything I do, I try and do to my best, and act as an example to others -so as to influence the people around me to do the same. 

I am the ripple effect!  This is how I bring change to my community. 

6) What do you think is the leading cause of war or genocide in one word?

Hatred 

7) If you were asked to describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Outgoing!

8) What do you want to be remembered for?

I will be remembered for my courage to be limitless and ability reach for the sky!!! 

9) Favorite Rwandan delicacy?

Isombe (cassava leaves) Yummy!!!! (Best served with rice!)

10) Your definition of success?

My definition of Success is actually reaching a point of life you only dreamed you could be. In other words making your dreams realities.

Bonus: What song makes you want to bust a move? 

Oohhh tough!!! Right now, "Stamina" by Eddy Kenzo!!!

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Thanks, Angel!! 

Meet Denis

Denis has been an active member of PLP since 2007 and joined the Walk to Remember team in 2010.  Denis worked with our team in Rwanda to implement the in-country walk while serving as our media point person.  With Denis' assistance, Walk to Remember was granted airtime on all of Kigali's premier radio stations. He also played a role in organizing our celebrity interviews and adverts with Rwanda's most talented artists, such as Alpha, Miss Jojo, Riderman, etc. Denis is known for his joyful spirit and dependability.  He currently works for MTN Communications and plays an integral role in the coordination of Walk to Remember activities in Rwanda and throughout East Africa. 

1) Why do you participate as an organizer for W2R? What drives you? 

I think its my responsibility to be the change I want to see. I think no one else is responsible to do it. I make it personal. I want to make the world a better place and after all I want to sit down, assess myself and see what I can or can't do by myself. I am also training myself to do great things in the future. The love of my country drives me. 

2) What makes you proud to be Rwandan? 

I am called Rwandan wherever I go. I am proud of the way Rwanda is developing, Reconciling, Peace, and the way Rwandans are receiving salvation.

3) What do you wish people knew about Rwanda?

I wish they knew how united we are, and recovering from the ashes of 1994.  I wish people knew how we are developing, how education is promoted and how standards of living of Rwandans are increasing day by day.

4) What is your vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years? 

My vision for Rwanda and the entire continent is too see people independent in all aspects of life without begging from Bazungus.

5) How do you bring about change in your community? 

I bring about change in my community by giving more time to vulnerable people through counseling and helping as well as spreading the gospel because by knowing the character of God their lives can be transformed completely.   

6) What do you think is the leading cause of war or genocide in one word? 

Evil 

7) If you were asked to describe yourself in one word, what would it be? 

Free

8) What do you want to be remembered for? 

I have always dreamt of becoming a great person who brought change in the community, to have lived a different life and to do what other people don't do.

9) Favorite Rwandan delicacy?  

Ikijumba and milk 

10) Your definition of success? 

To obey God's laws. 

Bonus: What song makes you want to bust a move?

I feel like falling in love with you" by Darlene

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Thanks, Denis!!

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Meet Dadi

Dadi is also a founding member of Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP). He serves as the Head of Departments and is involved in many of PLP's community service projects, such as, Mentor a Child. Dadi has played an instrumental role in launching Walk to Remember since its inception and, in 2010, lead Walk to Remember activities in Kenya. He is a leader among his peers who is highly respected for his work-ethic and integrity. Dadi works in Business Development for AXIS, the leading IT firm in Kigali, and is currently assisting in the coordination of Walk to Remember activities in Rwanda and throughout East Africa.

1) Why do you participate as an organizer for W2R? What drives you?

Reasons for being one of the organizers of Walk to Remember are many, some of them being personal and others, social reasons. Walk to Remember intends to promote unity and reconciliation and having seen what divisionism and hatred can do a country I must do everything I can to have a united society so that it never happens again.

2) What makes you proud to be Rwandan?

Hummm, well…a lot of things, the culture, the values, the 1000 hills, and the leadership of the country

3) What do you wish people knew about Rwanda?

Well, I just wish they knew Rwanda the way it is now. I wish people would just update their views on Rwanda.

4) What is your vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years?

The vision I have for Rwanda in the next ten years is a united people and a stable country, economically and socially. For the continent, I’d love to see Africa stable politically and self-sustainable in terms of production.

5) How do you bring about change in your community?

I think the best way to bring change in a society is by being the change yourself. I always try to do the right thing so that I can bring change.

6) What do you think is the leading cause of war or genocide in one word?

Hatred (and evil)

7) If you were asked to describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Calm

8) What do you want to be remembered for?

Someone who had a good impact on people’s lives.

9) Favorite Rwandan delicacy?

Ikivuguto (milk)

10) Your definition of success?

Accomplishing good acts

Bonus: What song makes you want to bust a move? 
"Back it up and Dump it" by Cali Swag District, but I don’t "bust a move", I retired :P

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Thanks, Dadi!! 

Meet Jean Michel

Jean Michel is one of the founding members of Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP).  Launched in 2007 in Kigali, Rwanda, PLP is a movement for the youth, by the youth that currently consists of over 200 members worldwide who take an active role in "being the change" in their communities. Walk to Remember was initiated by PLP in 2009 and since then has spread to eight countries around the world.  Jean Michel is currently a student at Towson University in Maryland, USA studying International Development and Policy. Jean Michel is a leader among his peers who is full of wisdom and compassion. He is currently coordinating the Walk to Remember activities in the USA. 

1) Why do you participate as an organizer for W2R? What drives you?

For a long time I have always thought that Rwanda owed something to the world, in the sense that we had a responsibility to teach the world how hatred and bigotry can lead to genocide and how once done its really hard to repair!! W2R gives us that platform.

2) What makes you proud to be Rwandan?

A lot of things from the customs, music, language but most of all I am proud of Rwanda because I see it as a work in progress.

3) What do you wish people knew about Rwanda?

I wish people knew the stories of the people I work with! People who lost their families, friends etc. but who are working day and night to bring peace and healing to a nation that is hurt.

4) What is your vision for Rwanda and the entire continent in ten years?

I want to see a Rwanda with people who are dignified and who can be the best that they can be. I want to see a Rwanda and an Africa that is self-sufficient where its people are not killing each other or dying of hunger and disease.

5) How do you bring about change in your community?

I try to live a changed life that inspires others to do the same. Am working on different projects with PLP, projects to bring about dialogue among the young people projects to help the needy etc..

6) What do you think is the leading cause of war or genocide in one word?

EVIL

7) If you were asked to describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

FREE

8) What do you want to be remembered for?

I want people to remember me as someone who tried to be the hands and feet of God on the earth.

9) Favorite Rwandan delicacy?

Ubugari  nisombe (I miss it)

10) Your definition of success?

Someone who changed the life of people around him in a positive manner.

Bonus: What song makes you want to bust a move? I don’t know the title but the song that goes "I got a feeling uuuuuuuuhhh that tonight is gonna be a good night" 

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Thanks, Jean Michel!!