What did you know about NAR’s work before joining the organization?
Before joining NAR, I knew Never Again as a phrase used in the commemoration periods to mean never again genocide. When I joined NAR, I also had the misconception that it was an International organization, and was not very well informed.
In your time at NAR, how have you seen the organization change?
There have been so many changes over the last eight years! Eight years ago, as I said, I used to think that NAR is an organization governed by foreigners. When I arrived, there were a few of foreign employees but the rest were Rwandese. The permanent employees were few and the majority were volunteers. I remember, we used to work in a house full of materials, and then moved to a new office where there were many books, which made it look like a library. That is when the organization work started to expand. Some of the leaders of the NAR affiliated clubs in secondary schools were becoming the permanent employees while others became the leaders of the programs. As they grew up, the organization grew too. At the time, Peacebuilding was the strongest and leading program and shortly after that, Research also started, and the number of the employees of the organization (which was less than five at the time) grew as well. I have seen those changes as the organization has expanded.
How has working at NAR improved your understanding on Peace building, governance & rights, and the other areas of development NAR is working in?
It changed a lot about my understanding, I used to think that the only thing that could change my beliefs is church but after joining NAR, I changed a lot. I remember when I came, I had a problem with one of my colleague and because of the language barrier and we could not communicate well. I approached another colleague to tell him my issue, without knowing that he was the boss. Eventually, he talked to the colleague I had a conflict with and they solved it in a peaceful way without harming me, and because they knew that the reason behind the conflict was the language barrier, they taught me the language at work so I could feel included. I was highly amazed by how they solved that problem in a peaceful way. This changed me a lot, and I started loving my work so much. Another way that NAR changed my understanding is through the events organized about peacebuilding or governance. I used to attend only because I had some tasks but as I continued to attend and pay attention, I found myself convinced about what they were teaching others. I learnt that through peace dialogue, conflicts are resolved, as opposed to how I used to think before that through prayer all problems could be solved without one actively contributing to solve the problem.
As Office Keeper, what do you feel is your contribution to the work that the organization is doing?
As I said earlier, the way they solved my problem in a peaceful and fair way left me a very important lesson. As I learnt that through peace dialogue conflicts are resolved, I began to love NAR on a deeper level. Because of all the lessons I learnt, I never relied on the salary, but rather on the intangible profits.I consider my role as being punctual and hardworking because I think that through respecting time, nothing regarding NAR’s work will fail or be late because of me. I decided to work hard including additional hours when needed for the work to be effective. I believe that my role is to respect and fulfill my responsibilities as they are.
You have been with NAR for some years now, how have you seen the work of the organization positively affect the lives of citizens?
When I meet my friends, or when I travel outside of Kigali, and I tell people that I work with NAR, they all say that NAR is doing something positive in the society. NAR works with different age groups including the youth and the elderly in the governance program, so whenever people get to know that I work in NAR, they happily tell me that NAR conducts important and moral dialogues. I also learnt a lot through programs like governance, which teaches citizens their rights and enables them to be able to stand up and speak their minds to build their communities. Additionally young people are taught to be accountable for their actions and to use critical thinking as a tool to avoid manipulation, and this has shown me that NAR is really influencing the community.
Another thing is the way they train young people. I once watched the peacebuilding documentary where the genocide perpetrators who were accused during Gacaca were saying that they did it because they were instructed to do so by their leaders, and that even today, if the leaders told them to do it, they would. In other words, those perpetrators were trying to not be held accountable by condemning the authority. This shows me that NAR tries hard to increase everyone’s peace skills. When I tried to quantify the significant profits I gained from NAR, I found that the most important one is the skills and knowledge I gained. For example being an entrepreneur, sometimes I read books, even if they are written for others, I also learn a lot from them and have some initiatives based on those ideas. All of these show me that NAR is really impacting the society.
What kind of working environment do you see at the NAR office?
I like to ask this question to my colleagues such as the security guards. When they come for their shift, I usually ask them how their day was, or when they first arrive, I ask them their names so that we can work be familiar with each other. I also try to find out the challenges they are facing and explain to them some of the basic information about the office. According to their feedback, they all say they love the place and wish to still work here in the long term. Most of them work for other companies and are not paid by NAR, but they loved the environment from their first day. Another thing is that even when one of the employees’ contracts are done and they are leaving, the leave happy. For example, when you looking at the peacebuilding team, they are very warm and welcoming people who give you time and listen to you. The fact that they give you time and listen to you is enough because. If they were unable to pay attention to you and listen, that would mean that what they are doing in their work is meaningless. Even the researchers. Whenever when you are having a conversation with them it is like they are doing the research and it is very nice. I have never heard of anybody being happy to leave NAR, and even those that work for different organizations now, I am sure would be happy to come back to NAR. There is a general positive atmosphere around NAR where people love to work together peacefully.
In the future, how do you see NAR contributing to Rwanda’s progress, and how do you see yourself continuing to contribute?
Whenever I go out, I try to spread the message to my friends and family about what we as NAR do. For example, married couples who may sometimes have issues between them, I usually advise them to sit and have a conversation before telling others some of their marital problems. I have gained this skill from my time here. When people who knew me before I started working at NAR see me sharing an idea, and later come to thank me because the advice helped, I feel blissful.
One day I asked my employer, why NAR is not international organization and yet is doing critical things in the society. He laughed and told me that it will happen. Personally, I think that if NAR continues this way, considering the progress I have seen over the years, in less than five years it will be international. I think it is especially possible because of the good leader that it has. He is an inspiration to me and whenever I see the way he comes to work early, it makes me love my work more. NAR has been like my church because it changed me and so I see it is an exemplary institution even to international organizations.
My role today and even when my time at NAR ends, is to spread what I learnt in NAR. I do not have to be irresponsible; I will try to help others and be the change in order to reflect how I changed through NAR. I experienced the street life before I joined the church and the church changed me, but NAR changed me more. I was selfish, but NAR changed me, so even after I leave NAR, my role will always be to share what I learnt in my time here with others.
Share with us something funny and most amazing you had in NAR that you can’t forget.
The most amazing thing I ever experienced in NAR is our employer. I used to meet him, when I started work and spent a whole year without knowing that he is the boss. We used to talk and joke as colleagues. One day I looked at the cheque and saw his signature and names, and his badge had the same signature. When I asked, I found out that he is the employer. I was shocked and surprised because I used to think that foreigners ran the organization. It was difficult to feel free and talk to him openly after that, but luckily, he is so cool, humble, and easy to talk to. One day he found me in the garden and I was dirty but tried to give him a quick handshake anyway. He told me that it had been a long time and he would greet me regardless and if necessary, he would go and change clothes because it was no problem. I learn a lot from him every day.