Gisimba Memorial Center

Gisimba Memorial Center, originally uploaded by camera_rwanda.

He emulates one of so many soldiers he's seen.

Gisimba Memorial Center.
Kigali, Rwanda. Afrika.
June, 2005.

The text below is from Orphans Of Rwanda

"Centre Memorial de Gisimba (Gisimba Memorial Center)

The Gisimba orphanage, located in the Nyamirambo quarter of Kigali, is led by Damas Mutezintare Gisimba. Damas's father founded the orphanage in 1980 with 18 children living in one house. Damas took over in 1986 after the death of his father. During the genocide Damas sheltered over 400 children and adults in the small orphanage compound from the predations of the interahamwe [the Hutu paramilitary squads that carried out much of the genocide]. Though the orphanage was repeatedly menaced, Damas and his colleagues held their ground and did not give in to the genocidaires. He has been honored for his heroism by the Rwandan government and many other organizations.

The orphanage currently houses over 150 children. Ten years ago almost all were genocide victims, but many of the newer arrivals have been orphaned by AIDS. Because their parents were HIV+, a number of them are also infected."

PLEASE DONATE TO GISIMBA MEMORIAL CENTER VIA ORPHANS OF RWANDA

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Photo by Kresta King Cutcher, USA.