There are many good books on the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, though not that many which feature testimonies of the survivors. Survivors Fund (SURF) self-published Survival Against the Odds, and the founder of our partner organisation Foundation Rwanda, Jonathan Torgovnik, published Intended Consequences and Disclosure.

Now there is And I Live On which documents the resilience of Survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda who endured sexual violence.

And I Live On: The Resilience of Rwandan Genocide Survivors of Sexual Violence features searing testimonials from Rwandan survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi 15 and 25 years after the horrific events of 1994. Through their narratives and Samer Muscati’s powerful portraits, these women and one man bear witness to the crimes committed in their country and to the suffering they continue to endure. The testimonials also showcase the survivors’ extraordinary strength, courage and resilience—challenging the stigma they face both as survivors of sexual violence and as people living with HIV. In speaking out, they provide a glimpse into the worlds of survivors living with the genocide’s legacy decades after a conflict. Their stories, along with the accompanying text, make an indelible impact.

Part of the proceeds from the sales of this book will go to Mukomeze, a charitable organisation established to improve the lives of Rwandan genocide survivors of sexual violence, including those featured in the book. Mukomeze partners with Solace Ministries in Rwanda.

The book has been highly reviewed in International Affairs by Noam Schimmel, Lecturer in International and Area Studies at University of California, Berkeley, who writes:

This book is a work of great sensitivity, moral urgency, vision, compassion and magnanimity of spirit that makes a searing impact on readers. What survivors share here and how they share it is an act of radical generosity, given the colossal scale of the pain and suffering entailed in revisiting and recounting the catastrophic human rights violations Rwandan Tutsis experienced during the genocide in 1994. The use of photography personalizes the text and further reveals the human dignity and beauty of those who share their testimonies.

It is published by Wolf Legal Publishers and is available now.