Rotary Conference 11 October 2008

We spoke at the Eastern Region Rotary Conference staged at Holiday Inn North, Norwich on Saturday 11 October. This was our biggest audience to date and we were delighted with the response. Lots of Rotarians talked to us in the exhibition area during the lunch break and also bought books.

This is a link to the Rotary report on the conference. http://www.rotary-ribi.org/districts/committee.asp?DistCtteeID=339&DistrictNo=1080

Rwandan Expo London August 2008

This is a photograph of Ignatius Mugabo (left), Chairman of the Rwandese Community UK at the Sina Gerard stand during the London Expo. The small bottles are full of Akabanga a superb hot chili sauce - two or three drops is all you need!

Rwandan Expo London August 2008

We visited a Rwandan Expo in London on 22 August 2008.
Illuminee is pictured here with the Rwandan Ambassador, His Excellency Claver Gatete. The Expo was organised by Rwandan Diaspora Investment www.investinrwanda.co.uk. We are planning to buy Rwandan goods for sale in Norwich via RDI.

Banana Wine Co-operative

During our fortnight in Rwanda in July 2008, we also visited a

co-operative making banana wine, pineapple wine and fruit jam.

The co-operative was also planning to begin dried fruit production.

Illuminee and I are hoping to start selling Rwandan food products in Norwich and it was to good to meet some local producers.

Stephen and family Giseyni

This is a photograph of Stephen (second left) and his brothers and sisters
outside their new house above Lake Kivu, Giseyni. They are supported
by Passevu a local charity for orphans and street children in Rwanda,
Burundi, Eastern Congo and Uganda. For more information about Passevu contact Andre Njack anjans1@yahoo.fr.

Money for their new house came from a raffle at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRide Awards East Anglia dinner 2007 and fundraising at Glynis Potter's Harambe shop in Hadleigh and Felixstowe. Illuminee cooked a served a Rwandan-style soup at a fundraising event in Hadleigh.

Lake Kivu Giseyni

We visited Giseyni in the north of Rwanda to meet Stephen and his family, a group of young orphans who live just outside the town. We helped raise money to build a house for the family.

This photograph was taken on the shore of the beautiful Lake Kivu, Giseyni; left to right, Rebecca (Paul's daughter), Patrick (Illuminee's nephew), Illuminee and Roger.

Gisozi Genocide Memorial, Kigali

While we were in Kigali, we visited the Gisozi Genocide Memorial. Thousands of Genocide victims are buried here. The main building features a powerful exhibition about the Genocide and its origins. While we were there, Roger was able to add a photograph of his father, John, to the display of photographs of Rwandans killed in 1994.

Kigali

This is a view of Kigali taken from just below Hotel Mille Collines looking across to the US Embassy (large building on left) and several government buildings. Illuminee's brother Eustache and his family live in the valley in the foreground.

British Embassy Kigali Book Signing Event

While we were in Rwanda, we were invited to the British Embassy in Kigali for a special book signing event for embassy staff. Illuminee (right) is pictured with two members of the Macmillan Rwanda team who were there to help us.

Miracle in Kigali Rwanda Launch July 2008 (2)

This is a photograph of some of the audience at Hotel des Mille Collines, Kigali, for the launch of Miracle in Kigali on the evening of 19 July 2008.

See Shirley Randell's mention of Miracle in Kigali on the Communication for Social Change website.

http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/mazi-articles.php?id=388

Miracle in Kigali Rwanda Launch July 2008

We travelled to Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on 12 July 2008 to launch Miracle in Kigali at Hotel des Mille Collines. This is the hotel from the film 'Hotel Rwanda'. The launch event was staged in the hotel's top floor conference facilities on the evening of Thursday 19 July. Our guest of honour was the Hon. Joseph Habineza, Minister of Culture and Sport, who paid tribute to Illuminee's bravery and encouraged us to publish the book in Kinyarwanda. An audience of 150, including most of the Rwandan media, heard Illuminee speak very movingly about her experiences. The photograph shows Illuminee, signing a book for one of the guests, with her brother Eustache on her right.

Rwandan Genocide Memorial Service

We organised a Rwandan Genocide memorial service at Bowthorpe Church, Norwich on Saturday 5 April 2008. The Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Roy Blower was our guest of honour. We also welcomed Patrick Mulenga from the Rwandan Embassy and Ingnatius Mugabo, Secretary of the Rwandese Community Association UK. Our thanks to all at Bowthorpe Church for their help and encouragement.

United Nations Association Talks

On Friday 18 January 2008, we gave a talk to the United Nations Association, Norwich branch, http://www.una-uk.org/ and followed this up by speaking at the United Nations Association East of England AGM in Cambridge on Saturday 16 February. The photograph shows us with guests at the UN Norwich talk.