Madiba, Rwanda

“Rwanda is a beautiful country and is known by its people as ‘cy’lmisozi Igihumbi in Kinyarwanda’ (Country of a Thousand Hills). However, it has not been without its historical problems, with civil wars, conflicts, human rights abuses, and poverty.
In April 1994, the Tutsi Genocide happened. Neighbours killed their neighbours, and hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in just a few months. A third of the population fled to neighbouring countries. After the Genocide, the rebels took control and despite their promise to unify the country and make Rwanda more democratic, the government now leads with a strict autocratic hand. Arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and torture in official and unofficial detention facilities continue today. Activists and government critics, including journalists and YouTube bloggers, are unlawfully arrested and detained. Many victims and their families suffer from inside as they cannot talk about it while in the country.
I believe that being a survivor means to learn from the painful experiences, to stand up, work hard and help others. The core of everything is that I have not been broken and as a result have become stronger.
The projected photograph is of my beautiful daughter who I was forced to leave behind in Rwanda. The picture represents all the people who have been separated from their families because they had to run for their lives. It is a reminder of how hard life is to spend years without seeing your loved ones, holding them in your arms and telling them that you love them. The consequences of torture can be as bad as the torture itself. The hope and strength to move forward and see a bright future is what makes me live.
My daughter gives me the strength to become a better person every day, so that when I meet her again, I will be a perfect dad.”