FRACTURED LIVES

FRACTURED LIVES the aftermath of genocide – commissioned by International Alert Between April and July 1994, Rwanda witnessed a frenzied 100 days of mass killings, rampant rape and other horrific acts carried out by the Hutu extremist Interahamwe. An estimated 1 million Tutsi civilians were slaughtered. 20 years on, Rwanda and its citizens have made remarkable progress in re-establishing normality. Yet communities across Rwanda remain divided, still dealing with the social, psychological and economic impacts of the genocide. The International Alert programme for conflict reconciliation pioneered the idea that the daunting task of rebuilding fractured lives would have to be holistic – to include all individuals affected by the genocide, from ex-prisoners, combatants and survivors through to young people growing up during the reconstruction of their country. Their programme focuses on uniting a fragmented society with an emphasis on addressing the psychological trauma and the economic void that is omnipresent post-conflict.