<body><div>In early October a group of undergraduate students gathered for a transformative fireside chat with Christophe Mbonyingabo, director of Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance (CARSA). This faith-based organization is dedicated to healing the wounds of trauma and fostering reconciliation in Rwanda, a nation still grappling with the aftermath of the civil war and genocide of the 1990s. Joining him was Tony Macaulay, a CARSA board member with decades of experience in peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.Hosted in Jenkins Nanovic Halls, the event was part of the course “Approaches to Violent Extremism,” taught by professor Lisa Schirch, Keough School faculty member and Richard G. Starmann, Sr. professor of the practice of peace studies. Students explored the profound themes of trauma, recovery, and reconciliation, gaining insights into how workshops bring together individuals from both sides of conflict. The course frames genocide as a form of terrorism—attacks on civilians aimed at achieving ideological goals.Mbonyingabo shared powerful stories illustrating how Rwandans from Tutsi and Hutu communities engage in resilience cell groups after completing the workshops. These groups serve as vital support systems where individuals can nurture deeper relationships, fostering healing and reconciliation in their lives.A particularly poignant aspect of the healing process is the Cows for Peace initiative. This program selects genocide survivors and perpetrators who have navigated the complex journey of forgiveness to receive a cow—a significant cultural asset in Rwanda. The cow, symbolizing both trust and shared responsibility, is jointly cared for by both parties. It offers not just economic benefits but a tangible way to rebuild relationships that were fractured by conflict.During the session, Mbonyingabo shared a moving video featuring individuals on their journeys of forgiveness. One survivor, Bonifride, expressed her grief: “I don’t have a husband, or a brother-in-law, or a sister-in-law, or a nephew. All of them died in the genocide.” In total, she lost more than 50 family members.Reflecting on her path to forgiveness, Bonifride recounted how she initially struggled with her emotions. “I wasn’t going to forgive him,” she recalled of her perpetrator, Pio, who had asked for her forgiveness while kneeling before the group. “To forgive him took time and cost me a lot. I was traumatized... I cried heavily. Tears were flowing until I didn’t have any more, and then I felt my heart was ready to forgive.”Today, Bonifride and Pio share a cow, engaging in a unique process that promotes both emotional healing and economic recovery. The cow provides milk and manure, which they can sell to improve their livelihoods. This initiative intertwines economic stability with social restoration, breaking down barriers erected during the genocide.The Cows for Peace program emphasizes the necessity of addressing poverty as a crucial element in post-genocide reconciliation, offering pathways to long-term peace and community stability. Through these shared responsibilities, survivor-offender pairs are encouraged to meet regularly, continuing their journeys of reconciliation and healing.</div></body>

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Fireside chat illuminates the power of reconciliation

In early October a group of undergraduate students gathered for a transformative fireside chat with Christophe Mbonyingabo, director of Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance (CARSA). This faith-based organization is dedicated to healing the wounds of trauma and fostering reconciliation in Rwanda, a nation still grappling with the aftermath of the civil war and genocide of the 1990s. Joining him was Tony Macaulay, a CARSA board member with decades of experience in peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.