Unthinkable Reconciliation: Rwandan Genocide Survivors Forgive Their Attackers

2025-01-12
Unthinkable Reconciliation: Rwandan Genocide Survivors Forgive Their Attackers

Thirty years after the Rwandan genocide, which claimed half a million lives in 100 days, an extraordinary reconciliation is underway. Survivors and perpetrators, through a community-based sociotherapy program called 'Mvura Nkuvure' (I heal you, you heal me), are forging unlikely friendships. The therapy focuses not on forgiveness, but on helping individuals cope with trauma and rebuild their lives. Through 15 weekly sessions, participants learn trust, care, and respect, ultimately focusing on the future. Many participants describe the therapy as life-changing, fostering connection and hope in a deeply scarred society.