Rwanda Rising

This year marks the 31st anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, a period of unimaginable darkness. Yet Rwanda is a testament to extraordinary resilience, a story of the enduring human spirit. In this inaugural episode of "Rwanda Rising," we begin a special series exploring the lives within the Foundation Rwanda community. We begin with Agatha, a survivor and mother. In 2007, she was a woman marked by deep shame and isolation as she recounted the horrific violence she endured, including the devastating betrayal of her neighbor, who used a machete to knock out her teeth. Today, we share her powerful testimony, translated and recorded for this podcast, a testament to her journey, her strength, her resilience, and her unwavering will to smile again.

Trigger Warning: Please be advised that this series addresses sensitive topics related to the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath, including experiences of sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised.

To survivors everywhere: You are not alone.

Resources:

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network in the US): rainn.org
• Solid Minds Counseling (Rwanda): https://solidminds.rw/
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): https://www.nsvrc.org/survivors
• Foundation Rwanda: foundationrwanda.org (Out of respect for the privacy and safety of the Foundation Rwanda community, our site is not available in Rwanda.)
• Survivors Fund (SURF): https://survivors-fund.org.uk/
• AVEGA Agahozo: https://avega-agahozo.org/

Special thanks to: 

• Agatha for her courage in sharing her powerful story.
• The amazing PR and podcast production team at Fallow, Field & Mason for their generosity and pro bono support: Juliet Fallowfield, Franceska Knechtli, and Sam Scougall Knight.
• Leah Rose, Andrew Hida, Aidan Sullivan, Kevin Smokler, and Eric Bonabeau for their insightful critiques. 
• Production and sound engineering: Dan Lawrence, Jim Greer, and Hida Visuals. 
• Foundation Rwanda’s incredibly dedicated colleagues and partners at Survivors Fund: Samuel Munderere, Raban Havugimana, Emilienne Kambibi, Vincent Nyawuma, David Russell, Liliane Umuhoza, and Jeanette Kawera Kajette.
• The Foundation Rwanda team: Sara Solfanelli, Dan Kusnetz, Jonathan Torgovnik, and Mike Gordon. 
• The Glo Good team: Dr. Jonathan B. Levine and Stacy Levine. 
• Schulte Roth & Zabel for their pro bono legal support. 
• Our amazing translator: Carine Ingabire. 
• Rwanda sound engineering: Ernestine Mucyo.
• Original music by Alyn Sano and artwork by Shyaka Ob. 

© 2025 Foundation Rwanda.

Thirty-one years after the horrific 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi, the wounds of widespread rape, which resulted in the births of an estimated 20,000 children, continue to deeply affect survivors and their families. These courageous mothers face immense challenges, grappling with HIV, PTSD, depression, and anxiety, often exacerbated by stigma, economic hardship, and aging.

Rwanda Rising is a powerful new podcast series amplifying the voices of these survivors, including the women who endured rape as a weapon of genocide, and their second-generation children born of these atrocities. Through their intimate narratives, we illuminate the complex and enduring challenges they face as they navigate healing and rebuild their futures.

Discover the vital work of Foundation Rwanda and Survivors Fund as they empower these families, offering crucial mental health support, economic opportunities, and education to break cycles of trauma and poverty.

Subscribe to Rwanda Rising for new episodes filled with powerful stories of hope and resilience, a living testament to the strength of the human spirit. Rwanda's journey of healing is far from over, and countless more voices deserve to be heard.

Trigger Warning: Please be advised that this podcast contains sensitive content related to the Rwandan Genocide, including accounts of violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised. 

To survivors everywhere, You are not alone.

Resources:

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network in the US): rainn.org
• Solid Minds Counseling (Rwanda): https://solidminds.rw/
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): https://www.nsvrc.org/survivors
• Foundation Rwanda: foundationrwanda.org (Out of respect for the privacy and safety of the Foundation Rwanda community, our site is not available in Rwanda.)
• Survivors Fund (SURF): https://survivors-fund.org.uk/
• AVEGA Agahozo: https://avega-agahozo.org/

Special thanks to: 

• Agatha for her courage in sharing her powerful story.
• The amazing PR and podcast production team at Fallow, Field & Mason for their generosity and pro bono support: Juliet Fallowfield, Franceska Knechtli, and Sam Scougall Knight.
• Leah Rose, Andrew Hida, Aidan Sullivan, Kevin Smokler, and Eric Bonabeau for their insightful critiques. 
• Production and sound engineering: Dan Lawrence, Jim Greer, and Hida Visuals. 
• Foundation Rwanda’s incredibly dedicated colleagues and partners at Survivors Fund: Samuel Munderere, Raban Havugimana, Emilienne Kambibi, Vincent Nyawuma, David Russell, Liliane Umuhoza, and Jeanette Kawera Kajette.
• The Foundation Rwanda team: Sara Solfanelli, Dan Kusnetz, Jonathan Torgovnik, and Mike Gordon. 
• The Glo Good team: Dr. Jonathan B. Levine and Stacy Levine. 
• Schulte Roth & Zabel for their pro bono legal support. 
• Our amazing translator: Carine Ingabire. 
• Rwanda eound engineering: Ernestine Mucyo.
• Original music by Alyn Sano and artwork by Shyaka Ob. 

© 2025 Foundation Rwanda.