June 3, 2022, Special Olympics Rwanda, a non-profit organization for children & adults with intellectual disabilities, visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi before reaching out a survivor in the Kigarama sector, Kicukiro to give financial support.
As part of the 28th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, the Special Olympics Rwanda paid an honorary visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide against the Tutsi.
The Special Olympics Rwanda, SOR’s visit aimed to pay homage to the victims of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, laid wreaths at the memorial, and also donate support to Kigali Genocide Memorial. The ceremony was attended by senior executives and all Special Olympics Rwanda staff.
During their visit to the memorial, Special Olympics Rwanda officials and staff were briefed on the history of Rwanda before, during and after the genocide.
Following the visit to the Kigali Memorial at Gisozi, SOR members visited the Campaign Against Genocide Museum, a museum located in the Parliamentary building at Kimihurura in Kigali City. They eventually moved on to reach out to one of the survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi in the Kigarama cell, Kigarama sector, Kicukiro district.
With a warm welcome, Therese Munganyika, a survivor, also shared her testimony of the life she went through in the genocide. Munganyinka, mother of Kevin Nyandwi, a Special Olympics athlete, expressed her gratitude for being recognized.
She said” I’m really glad to see you reaching out to me…I’m very surprised. This support is of great value to us, may God bless you for the help and give you back more”
Special Olympics Rwanda provided support to the family, including food and sanitation equipment.
In her speech, Marie Louise Kabakesha, the Executive Secretary of the Kigarama cell, acclaimed the efforts of SOR towards Genocide survivors and especially appreciates the fact that SOR chose Kigarama.
To conclude the eventful day, Pastor Deus Sangwa, Chairman of Special Olympics Rwanda explained that this kind and solidarity act should characterize Rwandans during the commemoration period
“We planned this day as SOR to join all Rwandans in these 100 days of mourning to commemorate the 28th anniversary of a 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
“It is in this context that we organized 3 activities namely visiting a memorial site to pay tribute to the victims, secondly, visit the Campaign Against Genocide Museum to learn the country’s road to liberation from the tragic nightmare of the 1994 Genocide that cost a million of Tutsi lives. We got to know the history of bravery RPF Inkotanyi, who stopped the Genocide and brought peace to the country, and this powerful story gave us the passion, patriotism and sacrifice of our lives if necessary.”
“The lessons taken at Kimihurura strengthen us to continue in the third activity to visit one of the survivors of the genocide.”
SOR is a non-governmental organization that has a wide range of projects aimed at improving the health and well-being of children with Intellectual disabilities
As a reminder, last week, Special Olympics Rwanda with NBA Africa, conducted a Youth Jr NBA Basketball Clinic for the young athletes with and without intellectual disabilities. the event took place at the BK Arena on Thursday 26 May 2022.
