Welcome back! I’m in Rwanda! And now that I’ve had my fill of animals...
Do you think he can feel how much I want to pet him?
He’s like, don’t, I’ll bite you in half. It’s time to hit the capital city, Kigali!
This bustling metropolis is home to 1.2 million people. There’s sugarcane. Mmm. Oh god,
I’m doing this wrong. The taxis here are motorcycles. Weeeeeee! And most importantly,
there’s very little COVID. While around 10% of the U.S.’s population contracted
COVID, only about .3% of Rwanda’s population did! And while we have been hoarding vaccines
and haven’t made a coordinated effort to vaccinate asylum-seekers, Rwanda has been
trying to vaccinate everyone equitably! Including refugees.
- We were so glad to see our country receiving refugees and we were so glad to hear that
they were also vaccinated. So it doesn’t upset you that you have refugees
in this country? - No, it can’t upset me. Even my parents
were one-time refugees. Okay.
- Most of Rwandans who survived the genocide were refugees.
So when you think about refugees, you don’t feel like you need to take your country back
from them, or like, accuse them of being criminals in your midst?
- No, I am not Ted Cruz. Oh my god. I knew I loved this place for a
reason. And the reason people here don’t get hot and bothered about refugees—
- Good morning. Good morning!
Is because many people in Rwanda were refugees. Colonialism and imperialism laid a groundwork
of instability that led to conflict that led to, well, a near constant flow of refugees
back and forth across the Rwandan border. Folks here understand that being a refugee
is just a circumstance of life, not a value judgement. Case in point: this place! Gashora
is a refugee camp of sorts. Every refugee here has been vaccinated and—, Oooh! There’s
music here! Wow, I really can’t clap. Anyway, this is Dana Hughes, she works for the UNHCR,
the organization that runs… well, what exactly is this place?
- This is an ETM. It’s an Emergency Transit Mechanism.
What is the difference between an ETM and a refugee camp?
- An ETM is for transit and for emergencies. It really is a place where people are only
supposed to be for a few months. Refugee camps are not also supposed to be forever. But the
average person can be in a camp for over a decade.
Can I stay here if all I’m doing is fleeing a culture war? I’ll take that as a yes.
- We often say at UNHCR, refugees are just like you and me. But in Rwanda, the population
knows that and feels that. And really, it’s also reflective of a general kind of African
hospitality spirit. So why is there this common misconception
that Africa is only a place that creates problems and creates refugees?
- Why is there that misconception of Africa as a place?
It’s okay. You don’t have to say it. I got this.
People at Gashora are the survivors of some of the world’s most horrific circumstances,
like perilous conditions in Libya or the war in Eritrea. But when they get here, it’s
time to think about the future. This is Lula Tensaew. She keeps this place together. You’re
like the sheriff of this camp. You do everything. - I would say daytime mayor and nighttime
sheriff. So tell me what makes this place special?
- The people who are coming here are very traumatized people, but coming here, they
see there is a future, there is life for them, there is hope.
So what are the types of things that people can do here?
- The guys, they love playing soccer. There’s driving school. And there’s also language
classes. I don’t want to brag but I speak both American
and Canadian. So. And the point of these classes is to prepare refugees for being resettled.
Do you know where you are going? - France.
What?! - Norway.
You’re going to Norway! - Canada.
Canada! - We will be a Canadian family.
That’s where I’m from! Ah yes, France, Norway, Canada and Canada.
AKA the Axis of Generosity. These countries are—no surprise—taking in the most refugees
from this ETM, while the U.S. is too busy deciding if it will even allow people with
side parts to stay. And sure, things like driving school are fine, but I wanted to make
sure these soon-to-be-Canadi-Norwegi-Frenchies were ready for what’s really important.
Like where to get a good cup of coffee! You’re gonna need to know this name, okay? Tim. Hortons.
You have to order a double double. - Double double?
Double cream, double sugar. Local cuisine...
Do you know anything about Norway? - No.
Well you need to like to eat fish. They just love herring.
Car traditions... If you sit in a car with a comedian you have
to sing karaoke. - I like Rihanna.
Oh, okay! Shine bright like a diamond! Shine bright like a diamond! Do ba doo! Do ba doo!
- You are not good at singing. Okay. And of course, just how to fit in.
When you say something in Canadian, you have to say “eh” at the end. You have to say,
“My name is Hadiyah, eh. I’m Canadian, eh. How’s it going, eh?”
And with these skills acquired... [baby cries]
He wants the fish! Look! You’re ready for Norway. I couldn’t help but wonder what
their selfish motivations were for resettling in these countries to begin with. What do
you think life will be like there? - Mainly I hope I will improve my life and
support my family. Especially my mother. I always think about her and I hope to improve
her life. Ugh, we don’t deserve this generation! Which
makes what I have to say next even harder. While President Biden technically lifted the
refugee cap set under Trump, he has made clear that the U.S. likely won’t admit many more
people. How does the UNHCR feel about that? - We are really happy for the U.S. generosity
in general and we’re looking forward to… Looking forward to? Things changing?
- Yes. Always proud to hear Americans are doing the
bare minimum - I mean, they announced it. It’s just going
to take a minute. It’s going to take a minute. President Joe
Biden. Come on, Joe, we have plenty of vaccines,
food, and space galore! I mean, who’s even been to South Dakota? So let’s tear a page
out of Rwanda’s playbook and welcome people like Hadiyah, Million and Mahari—even if
they don’t like my singing. Allll byyy myself. Anymoree! Oh, god. That
was so good. That was so good.