Deepening Relationships in Rwanda (Part II)

(Continued from Part 1)

Now that the teaching responsibilities were finished, there was time to enjoy an unlikely but special kind of vacation. What followed were experiencing culture, community, and rediscovering what makes Rwanda feel so inviting.

Friday, August 15: Holiday cooking and a day trip

Friday was L’Assomption, a public holiday. Genevieve went to the market and returned with a chicken, a huge bunch of rosemary, and other vegetables. Soon the outdoor kitchen was filled with smells of cooking. Together, we made sweet potato fries, chicken soup, salad with fresh avocados, cassava fufu, and rice.

In the afternoon, I met up again with Shalum to go downtown. We rode out on moto bikes, which is a common form of transportation in Rwanda. I still remember my first time back in 2023, clinging nervously to the seat while the Rwandans rode hands-free, balancing luggage, sheets of glass, even their babies. Although I had learned to relax a little, it was still nerve-wracking weaving between cars and trucks on Kigali’s hilly roads.

We visited a large exhibition that had been running for several days. Stalls showcased everything from Egyptian leather handbags and Kenyan jewelry to Blue Band margarine, mattresses, blenders, and clothing. I stopped at a spice stall to pick up items that would remind me of Rwanda. We wrapped up the outing with a stop at Simba Supermarket for more special gifts, then returned home to a dinner of two types of matoke: one cooked with tomato, carrot, onion, and pepper; and another in a rich groundnut sauce.

Saturday, August 16: A wedding and a neighbourhood

Saturday was one of the highlights of the trip. I had the chance to dress up in a umushanana, Rwanda’s traditional attire for women. The outfit includes an ankle-length skirt, a blouse, and a draped sash known as the ishanana. It is elegant, flowy, and comfortable, and worn on formal occasions. Everyone looked beautiful, and it was fun to be part of the tradition.

We then headed out for the traditional wedding. In Rwanda, weddings often unfold in three parts: first the traditional ceremony to give the dowry, then the church service, and finally the reception. In the traditional portion, the bride, escorted by her father (or brothers or other close relatives if he is not present), is formally introduced to the groom’s family. Gifts are exchanged, accompanied by traditional songs and dance.

Afterward, we celebrated with a feast. The buffet table was covered with an abundance of dishes: fresh salads and fruits, pastries, chips, rice, cassava, pasta salad, isombe (cassava leaves), mixed vegetables with peas, and chicken stew. Guests then changed into Western attire for the church wedding, or commonly referred to as the religious wedding. We, however, opted to return home to rest after a long day so far.

In the evening I reconnected with Sylvia Twahirwa, a friend I first met in 2023 through cell group, when she was working with Caférwa, a social enterprise producing fair-trade coffee. Each year since, I’ve faithfully stocked up on their coffee. Together we visited some of her friends, starting with Leonia Nkuruh, who runs Ikaze B&B. Her journeys across Tanzania, Uganda, Azerbaijan, France, Belgium, the UK, and the US had shaped her into someone both worldly and dignified. Over tea and freshly made doughnuts, she shared stories of her life: a year spent in Beijing in 1983, where she remembered the fascination both sides had with each other, speaking with warmth and fondness for the Chinese people. We even exchanged a few words in Mandarin.

Later, we visited Mama Kendra and her children. We finished our evening with a simple and comforting snack of bread, jam, and more tea. It was a true marker of community, where children wander freely to neighbours’ homes and are cared for as if they were family. As Sylvia put it, “It takes a village.”

Sunday, August 17: Reunion at Rwanda Military Hospital

On Sunday afternoon I met with Dr J.C. Kagimbana at the Rwanda Military Hospital. An allergist–dermatologist trained in Belgium and France, he holds the distinction of being the first allergist in the country. I had completed a rotation with him back when I was a fellow in training. Today, our conversation was both inspiring and practical. We spoke about the state of allergy care in Rwanda: current challenges, the progress made, and the vision for expansion. It was clear how deeply was committed to building a system to serve the people of Rwanda.

 

By chance, I also ran into one of the residents from last year’s boot camp, Dr Damien Urengejeho, now a PGY-4 in Internal Medicine. It was encouraging to see how much had progressed in just a year.

 

Monday, August 18: Food for the Hungry

On Monday I met with Cyprien Uwitije, the Director of Programmes at Food for the Hungry (FH) Rwanda. This is an international charity I wholeheartedly believe in, not only for the scope of their work but also for their approach. They address the outside issues such as poverty and injustice by restoring relationships: with self, with family, and with community.

I first connected with FH Rwanda in 2023, when they took me on a site visit three hours into a remote area. What struck me then, and still stays with me now, was how different this NGO felt. Every worker carried a genuine smile, and that joy seemed to ripple outward into the very communities they served. Cyprien also reminded me how quickly Rwanda had changed. As recently as 2000, many people did not wear shoes. The campaign to provide shoes for everyone was a powerful cultural shift that symbolized the country’s remarkable progress, carried out in Rwanda’s own way.

FH began its work in Rwanda in 1994 with humanitarian response and shifted to development in 2001. Today they reach 7 out of the country’s 30 districts, impacting nearly 200,000 households. Their programs are wide-ranging:

• Education: schools, adult literacy, and skills training.

• Livelihood support: agricultural development, women provided with cows and seeds, proudly showing their crops.

• Mental and physical wellbeing: supporting families through trauma and restoring relationships.

• Sanitation and clean water access: I saw this firsthand during my 2023 visit, where clean water was brought into schools so children could focus on studying instead of carrying heavy jugs for kilometers each day.

• Disaster preparedness: especially important in Rwanda’s hilly terrain with frequent rains and flooding.

  
  

I was especially proud to learn that FH Canada supports Bwira/Ngororero district, one of the remote western regions. During my 2023 visit, I was shown a school supported by FH Canada, and the pride of the headmistress was unmistakable. It was deeply moving to witness how lives are restored, from the smallest unit of an individual to the wider community, and to see this transformation led by people who themselves had experienced restoration.

Tuesday, August 19: Day out with an old friend

Tuesday was a day out with Protais Shesheba, a friend I first met two years ago when he was running Nature Nest Adventures, his tourism startup. Back in 2023, he had arranged a memorable tour to Volcanoes National Park, where we climbed the mountain to see gorillas. Later during that same trip, he also brought me to Umusambi Village, a sanctuary for endangered grey crowned cranes that were rescued from captivity.

This time, I joined Protais and his wife Seraphine in Kamonyi District in Southern Province. As we drove, the landscape opened into rolling hills. Goats and chickens darted across the road while we paused to take in the view. Afterwards, we drove back past Mount Kigali, which after the city is named. Then we made a brief stop at Fazenda Sengha, a recreational park we had visited in 2024, to collect a very special item for our allergy and immunology division back home. I had ordered two custom-made holders for drug allergy testing, which Protais had arranged for his carpenters to handcraft from South African wood. I had expected to pay for it, but they refused, turning it into a generous gift to us.

Along the way, we passed several e-vehicle charging stations, a clear sign of Rwanda’s commitment to modernization and sustainable infrastructure. Our next visit was Nyamirambo, a Muslim dominated neighbourhood. We stopped at a carpenter’s shop in the city to inspect an order I had placed. By then, traffic and detours had taken over, and what should have been a short trip stretched into nearly three hours.

It was quite late by the time I arrived home. Genevieve greeted me at the door with food waiting: beef stew with isombe, ugali, and chips. That simple act of being welcomed back with a warm meal reminded me once again of the generosity and community that had defined the whole trip.

Wednesday, August 20: Farewell for now

My last day in Kigali was spent packing and tying up loose ends. Protais had arranged for the medicine stands and my own gift to be repaired by the carpenter and sent by moto bike, stressing that it was a rush order. I also had a brief meeting and chat with Ephrem.

The rest of the time was spent with Genevieve, Gilbert, the children, and the helpers who were very much part of the household. In just two short weeks, bonds had formed that made the goodbye feel weighty. We shared a simple meal of rice with soy sauce and masala, isombe, and potatoes. When the time finally came to leave, the family stood together to wave, and Gilbert and Genevieve drove me to the airport. The journey home stretched long — Kigali to Nairobi, then onward to Brussels and finally Montréal.

Rwanda continues to amaze me. Each visit leaves me with new lessons and a deeper respect for the country and its people. Over these two weeks, I was welcomed into homes, shared meals, and experienced firsthand the strength of family and community bonds, from caring for each other’s children to showing compassion for those in need. What struck me most was the resilience and joy that shine through, even in the face of everyday challenges. There is a steady determination to build a better future, and a rightful pride in being Rwandan. As I return home, I carry with me not only the memories of this trip but also the inspiration of what it means to live with generosity, perseverance, and hope.

Acknowledgments:

I am grateful to Protais Shesheba, Genevieve K, Christine Kembabazi, and Cyprien Uwitije for their thoughtful feedback, and to others who also reviewed or checked parts of the article.