Rwanda: Kigali photos

It took 3 plane rides and 25 hours of non-stop travel to get to Kigali, Rwanda.

I have always been fascinated with Rwanda. Today, Rwanda is one of Africa’s greatest success stories – but also home to one of Africa’s greatest tragedies: the Rwanda Genocide.

Rwanda is landlocked in Central Africa, and one of the smallest countries in Africa. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, the population is young and predominantly rural, with a density among the highest in Africa.

The Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, was a mass slaughter of Tutsi, Twa, and moderate Hutu which took place between 7 April and 15 July 1994.

The genocide, which had been planned for at least a year, began after the assassination of the Rwandan president. The killing began the next day when soldiers, police, and militia began executing Tutsi and moderate Hutu military and political leaders.

The scale and brutality of the massacre caused shock worldwide, but most Western nations including Belgium, France, and the U.S. ignored the genocide.