Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

I have recently returned from 5 months in Africa, most of which I spent in Rwanda.

For 2 months I lived with an amazing man called Pastor Philbert Kalisa, the founder of REACH, and I learned a lot about the problems of Rwanda and what REACH is doing to help.

The reconciliation projects bring together Hutu and Tutsi people in their communities and provide them with a job to do. I was able to visit many of the projects and heard the stories of survivors as well as perpetrators. One Tutsi widow I met had lost not only her husband, but 6 out of 7 of her children, killed in horrific circumstances. Incredibly, she has been able to meet and forgive the Hutu men who attacked her and killed her husband. Some of these Hutu perpetrators are now building a new house for her.

Other projects include groups of women from different tribes working together weaving traditional Rwandan baskets, which they sell. Groups are being trained in traditional Rwandan dancing so that they can be employed at weddings and support themselves financially, as well as working together which has helped many to forgive each other.

There are many other amazing projects which REACH is running: sewing clothes for school kids; singing as part of a choir, or playing football for The Unity Cup. In many instances providing people with a job thus potentially giving them an income for their families and bringing them out of poverty.

I believe that REACH's work as a non-profit charity is truly selfless and has a huge potential in keeping peace in Rwanda. It seems that every generation in Rwanda has experienced repeated tribal conflict, since colonial times in the early 1900s, causing a pattern of revenge and conflict. REACH's work is playing a key role in preventing this pattern of revenge in Rwanda and has trained over 15,000 local leaders and pastors in reconciliation work, and that figure is rising.

After the appalling genocide in 1994 when an estimated one million people were killed in 100 days, I believe that this charity, REACH is really making a difference. The work of REACH is not well known in the UK, but there is a registered charity here, Reach for Rwanda. Having just returned from Rwanda I wanted to raise awareness and hope to encourage friends in the UK to support the work REACH is doing. So with your money the word of reconciliation and forgiveness will travel further across Rwanda and create peace and the potential for life away from poverty and tribal conflict.

Thanks so much for your support.

Ed