Rwanda, in east-central Africa, is surrounded by the nations of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi.

In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 were driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and instigated a civil war in 1990.

The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in a state-orchestrated genocide, in which Rwandans killed as many as one million of their fellow citizens, including approximately 75% of the Tutsi population. Rwanda is still dealing with a national consciousness of guilt and shame because of the genocide. Reconciliation between all involved is now a national priority. Heaven’s Family’s Prison & Rehab Ministry is very much involved in this reconciliation effort.

Project Ubumwe is a program run by the team at Prison Fellowship Rwanda as a part of their continuing efforts toward the reconciliation of genocide victims with the perpetrators. The project consists of counselors working with both genocide survivors in cities and villages across Rwanda as well as those who perpetrated the genocide and who are now in prison. The goal of the project is to match perpetrators, who are now willing to confess their crimes and are seeking forgiveness with the survivors of those whom they killed who are willing to meet, face to face, and offer them the forgiveness that they desire. Upon release the perpetrators and victims have the option of living in the same (1 of 6) reconciliation villages the government has set aside for the purpose of bringing forgiveness to the everyday lives of those involved. Heaven’s Family eagerly supports the chaplains involved in the work of Project Ubumwe. Heaven’s Family also supports several projects in the reconciliation villages.