On the journey back from my visit to Cyangugu, we took the stunning (but bumpy) Lake Kivu road to return to Kigali via Bisesero. Bisesero is the most significant site of resistance during the genocide. It is a place of … Continue Reading »
Category: Awareness Raising
International Day of Rural Women
Today (October 15th) is the International Day of Rural Women. Established by the UN General Assembly in 2008, the day directs attention to both the contribution that women make in rural areas, and the many challenges they face. Many of … Continue Reading »
Vote Odette
I have posted on this blog previously about the work of Odette Kayirere, Coordinator of the Eastern Region branch of AVEGA (Association of Widows of the Genocide). SURF’s Founder, Mary Kayitesi Blewitt OBE, helped to register AVEGA-AGAHOZO (agahozo is a … Continue Reading »
Fighting Genocide Denial
Over recent months, there has been a number of articles on the prevalence and politics of genocide denial, both in Rwanda as well as internationally too. Survivors Fund (SURF) along with its partner organisations strives to raise awareness of the genocide … Continue Reading »
Sixteen years on
Sixteen years on from the genocide in Rwanda and there remain many challenges for survivors. Most pressing for widowed survivors is lack of adequate shelter, and for orphaned survivors difficulty in completing their education. A shared challenge for all survivors … Continue Reading »
Commemoration
April 7th marks the 16th Anniversary of the start of the genocide in Rwanda, in which one million Tutsi and a number of moderate Hutu sympathisers were killed. Through the support of Awards for All of the Big Lottery Fund, … Continue Reading »
You Alone May Live
Since retiring as director of Survivors Fund (SURF) last year, Mary Kayitesi Blewitt OBE has been writing up her experience of working with survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Mary dedicated fifteen years of her life to the work, ever since … Continue Reading »
Holocaust Memorial Day
Today, January 27th, marks the 65th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day. Survivors Fund (SURF) has been involved in marking the commemoration in a variety of ways. Our Co-Chair, Liliane Umubyeyi, was interviewed … Continue Reading »
Acknowledgement
There are two pieces of news that I share with you, both an acknowledgement of the work of SURF and our partners. At the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations last month, a resolution was adopted calling for the … Continue Reading »
Reportage Press
In the run-up to Christmas, Reportage Press will donate £1 from every book sold via its website to Survivors Fund (SURF). Reportage Press is an independent publishing house specialising in books on foreign affairs. It was co-founded by the former … Continue Reading »