A Little Progress - FB Conversations With Jennifer Jukanovich

I currently have a cousin living in Rwanda with her husband and three children. Dano, her husband, is a partner of an incredible socially-motivated consulting agency called Karisimbi Business Partners. http://www.karisimbipartners.com/

Jennifer has been heavily involved with orphan care for many years now. Her work in Rwanda spans many areas and is both incredibly close and far-reaching.

I got in touch with her late last night.

11 hours ago

Lily Wolff

• Hi Jennifer!
  
  I hope your beautiful family is continuing to blossom in Kigali. I don't doubt it for a second!
  I was wondering if I could get a little advice from you... The amorphous forms of an idea are stirring in my mind for a Community-Engaged theatre project in Rwanda. It would be a huge project both in terms of its financial, psychological, organizational, and dramaturgical demands, as well as the time commitment and the need for getting a collaborative team on board. This would be in no way, shape, or form, a solo project..
  
  Anyway, the first step is without a doubt, doing some research. I was wondering if you could recommend some books or articles that cover the history of Rwanda, the genocide, post-genocide Rwanda, and anything else you have found surprising or insightful along the way.
  Just to let you know the particular areas I think I might be interested in right now, here are some thoughts I wrote down in my brainstorming (apologies, they're in their raw form)..
  
  Speaking the stories of the genocide and, especially, post-genocide
  
  How old is the generation who experienced the genocide first hand?
  
  How does the genocide affect the first generation

  of Rwandans who did NOT experience it first hand? How old are they?
  
  Story circles
  
  Speak their own stories
  
  Theatre of the Oppressed techniques/workshops
  
  Theatre of the Oppressed conference
  
  Take designers (using scavenged material from the places), dramaturg, actors, playwright
  
  There IS a final product but there are also many other workshops and events surrounding that. It’s not the most important aspect. There are many other ways to be involved in this other than the event itself.
  
  Flexible focus/story – process of discovering what is wanted/needed through the participants
  

• 11 hours ago

  Lily Wolff

  • Hi Jennifer!
    
    I hope your beautiful family is continuing to blossom in Kigali. I don't doubt it for a second!
    I was wondering if I could get a little advice from you... The amorphous forms of an idea are stirring in my mind for a Community-Engaged theatre project in Rwanda. It would be a huge project both in terms of its financial, psychological, organizational, and dramaturgical demands, as well as the time commitment and the need for getting a collaborative team on board. This would be in no way, shape, or form, a solo project..
    
    Anyway, the first step is without a doubt, doing some research. I was wondering if you could recommend some books or articles that cover the history of Rwanda, the genocide, post-genocide Rwanda, and anything else you have found surprising or insightful along the way.
    Just to let you know the particular areas I think I might be interested in right now, here are some thoughts I wrote down in my brainstorming (apologies, they're in their raw form)..
    
    Speaking the stories of the genocide and, especially, post-genocide
    
    How old is the generation who experienced the genocide first hand?
    
    How does the genocide affect the first generation of Rwandans who did NOT experience it first hand? How old are they?
    
    Story circles
    
    Speak their own stories
    
    Theatre of the Oppressed techniques/workshops
    
    Theatre of the Oppressed conference
    
    Take designers (using scavenged material from the places), dramaturg, actors, playwright
    
    There IS a final product but there are also many other workshops and events surrounding that. It’s not the most important aspect. There are many other ways to be involved in this other than the event itself.
    
    Flexible focus/story – process of discovering what is wanted/needed through the participants
    
    Should it be mobile or based in one place?
    
    Sorry, I know that's crazy and scattered. I'm still trying to pinpoint my focus or primary question. My guess is that if I went ahead with this, it would continue to change up until the last day..
    
    Anyway, any advice would be amazing!! Also, logistically, how long do you imagine you and Dano will stay in Kigali?
    
    Thanks!
    
    Lily

• about an hour ago

  Jennifer Jukanovich

  • Lily,
    
    Wow - you continue to amaze me. What a wonderful surprise to wake up to this email. You are definitely on a journey. And Rwanda could use more theater! I honestly don't know what is going on in the dramatic arts arena. We have gotten to know some painters very well and there are now two art studios here, which is great. However, our first month in Kigali we attended a play by a Canadian, Michael Redhill, called Goodness. It was incredible! They performed it at a restaurant here in town and I felt I was at the Intiman in Seattle. I found this link and it might be good for you to connect with these folks since there seems to be a festival in Butare and they might be able to tell you what has been done here in the past and where the gaps are. All I can tell you is that even though the Genocide was 17 years ago, it touched everyone and many people still have PTSD. For those who have learned forgiveness, there is healing. For those who haven't, the effects are still felt today. If you are really serious about this, just prepare your heart because what you read and learn will not be easy.
    
    Here are some thoughts for your research:
    http://volcanoinrwanda.blogspot.com/2009/10/heaven-and-america.html
    
    Films to Watch
    -Sometime in April
    -Hotel Rwanda
    -As we Forgive (a very powerful documentary - they have an active presence here and would be good to connect with)
    
    Books to Read
    -A Thousand Hills by Stephen Kinzer (is Paul Kagame's story, but you can't understand the genocide without also understanding the man who stopped it and who has rebuilt the country)
    -We Wish to Inform you that Tomorrow you Will be Killed - by Philip Gourevitch
    -Left to Tell by Immaculee Illibazia
    -God Sleeps in Rwanda by Joseph Sebarenzi (he is not a Kagame fan)
    -Over a Thousand Hills I walk with You
    -Frida: Chosen to Die, Destined to Live - this may have been self-published. I know this woman. She is amazing.
    
    There are groups we know who do trauma healing. I don't know if they would also be good to connect with because the arts are definitely a way to bring healing. The youth today are forward-thinking about the new Rwanda. The youngest person to remember the genocide would be 17. April 7-14 is the memorial for the genocide each year. Everyone here has a story. That is the sad part. But the Gacaca trials have ended this year, which signifies a huge move for Rwanda to start thinking about the future, whereas it has been focused on healing for the past 17 years.
    
    I hope this helps. We are definitely here for this year and the following year. That would be a total of 4 years here. After that, we are uncertain. The company will most likely be here and we are making plans for that. We just don't know if we will be here or in the States. Just know you would be most welcome any time.
    
    Much love,
    
    Jennifer