By GRACE MUGABE

KIGALI CITY: Patricia Cane, an American trauma scientist, on Saturday, June 24, lectured to over one hundred University students on trauma healing techniques. She addressed students from different universities and higher learning institutions in the country that included Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Kigali Health Institute (KHI), Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) and School of Finance and Banking (SFB), at KIE’s main hall. Cane told students to master trauma healing techniques for the purposes of healing society from the effects of 1994's genocide. 
“Use trauma techniques to heal anger, resentment, fear, panic, grief and emotional pain from yourselves and the society to which you belong. This will save the nation from the wounds it sustained in the 1994 war and Genocide,” Cane advised the attentive students, urging them to fight simple stress for mental
change and growth. Philip Jones, an American pastor, advised students to stick
to the Biblical norms that teach unity and reconciliation. He urged them to reconcile for the good and development of the nation. “Forgive one another and make your nation a holy state. Unite and
reconcile to rediscover the social bond that kept you for over centuries before the advent of divisionism tendencies that led to the 1994 Genocide and all its consequences. Once this is done, Rwanda will shine again,” Jones advised.
Jane Umugwaneza from Kigali Liberal University (ULK) said, “The lecture has been useful and I will teach trauma solving techniques to my fellow community members once I leave here. I will pass also a healing message to my fellow university students.”
John Son Niyonsaba, said that the lectures were vital and he will apply the knowledge acquired to the community for moral change. The two American trauma scientists are in the country under the invitation of the Anglican Church of Rwanda. They intend to initiate a trauma healing project in Kigali that will teach trauma-healing techniques to Rwandans.

Hope Rwanda to Fight Poverty
By GRACE MUGABE

KIGALI CITY

Hope Rwanda, an initiative that is having an impact country-wide, will open a credit bank in 2007 to fight poverty. The establishment of Opportunity Bank International was announced on June 20 to the press by Pastor Joel Sengoga, the country coordinator for Hope Rwanda, in an exclusive interview held at Hope
Rwanda Headquarters in Remera.

He noted that in 2007 Hope Rwanda will focus on alleviating poverty as vulnerable groups will be able to secure loans from Opportunity Bank International and its various  branches across the country. He said the action is intended to help Rwandans start income generating activities which the bank will finance. 
Pastor Sengoga added that the Hope Rwanda project was initiated by an Australian pastor and peace activist, Mark Chezch and his wife Darleen in conjunction with the Anglican Bishop of Rwanda, The Rt. Rev. Bishop John Rucyahana, to redeem in 100 days the 100 days of slaughter in 1994 in which a million lives were lost.

Bishop John Rucyahana said many people from around the world are supporting Hope Rwanda. “They have allied together with Rwandan churches through Hope Rwanda project by using evangelization, peace building, reconstruction and economic development," Bishop John Rucyahana observed. He said evangelization and peace building activities have been going on across the country in an attempt to revamp the lost glory. Houses for widows and orphans in Kabuga have been built and may more houses are to be built across the country in period of five years, according to Hope Rwanda reports.

As President for Hope Rwanda, Bishop John Rucyahana had earlier told a press conference that Hope Rwanda is to construct various schools and some 300 dams across the country in an attempt to develop the society.

Grace Mugabe is Communications Officer for the Anglican Church in Rwanda, and his writing regularly appears on this website, and in African-based publications, such as allafrica.com.  Grace recently contributed to a major article on the Congo published by Christianity Today.

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