At Survivors Fund (SURF) we often come across new books on the genocide, or published testimonies of survivors. Most recently we have showcased a remarkable new book of testimonies published as And I Live On.

Last year in our News section which featured posts on a journal published by one of our supporters, Mamie Philip, Ten Days in Rwanda – as well as the memoir of the former Executive Secretary of our partner organisation AERG, Omar Ndizeye, Life and Death in Nyamata.

There are several additional books, that we would like to raise awareness of as well, a few of which have been published for some years but are no less powerful today.

The Barefoot Woman by Scholastique Mukasonga – A moving, unforgettable tribute to a Tutsi woman who did everything to protect her children from the Rwandan genocide, by the daughter who refuses to let her family’s story be forgotten. The story of the author’s mother, a fierce, loving woman who for years protected her family from the violence encroaching upon them in pre-genocide Rwanda. Recording her memories of their life together in spare, wrenching prose, Mukasonga preserves her mother’s voice in a haunting work of art.

The Hope That Remains: Canadian Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide by Christine Magill – Each chapter focuses on a Rwandan survivor and their journey to Canada to escape the violence and chaos that overtook their country. Two of the featured stories follow individuals who fled before the killing began and the events that caused them to flee. Both were then faced with the challenge of being outsiders looking in as events deteriorated and their families were slaughtered. The other eight survivors share their detailed and gripping experiences of trying to stay alive while trapped in Rwanda in 1994.

Split/Mixed by Ery Nzaramba – In this autobiographical published one-man play, performed to acclaim on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the author journeys back to his Rwandan childhood. With the help of a cassette player, he brings to life nearly a dozen characters, exploring memories of kinship, cultural attitudes and personal identity. Both funny and poignant, the play highlights not only the intolerance that can breed violence and war but also the importance of power and privilege in the struggle for survival.

All books are available from smile.amazon, which if you select Survivors Fund (SURF) as your supporting charity, will then result in a small donation for each purchase made.

Thank you to Noam Schimmel for the recommendations.