Members of Unity Club Intwararumuri paid a heartfelt visit to the Bugesera Elders’ Home (Urugo rw’Impinganzima rwa Bugesera), joining elderly survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi to celebrate the festive season and mark the close of 2025. The visit, which brought together the club’s volunteers and 71 elders, including 66 women and five men, emphasized solidarity, dignity, and communal healing as Rwanda prepared to welcome 2026.
The outreach forms part of Unity Club’s annual program, which focuses on supporting elderly genocide survivors who have lived through immense loss and hardship. Many of these elders, known as Intwaza, were widowed and left without immediate family, a circumstance the organization aims to address through companionship, emotional support, and practical assistance.
Since its founding in February 1996, Unity Club Intwararumuri has been at the forefront of promoting national unity, reconciliation, and social cohesion, particularly in the years following Rwanda’s darkest chapter. Through programs targeting vulnerable populations, including genocide survivors, widows, orphans, and elders, the club fosters a sense of belonging and community resilience across the nation.
A Longstanding Tradition of Care
The Bugesera visit is part of a decade-long tradition of outreach, with Unity Club Intwararumuri conducting similar initiatives in other regions including Huye, Nyanza, and Rusizi since 2014. The organization prioritizes both the physical and emotional well-being of survivors, recognizing the profound isolation many experience in advanced age.
During the visit, Joseph Nsengimana, a senior member of the club, highlighted the significance of these efforts:
“These parents no longer have anyone to celebrate holidays with. That is why we come to be with them, to show that unity and resilience are not just words, but lived values. We visit them regularly and treat them as our own parents.”
By bridging the gap between generations, the club reinforces Rwanda’s commitment to honoring the elderly while fostering a culture of empathy and solidarity.
Healing Emotional Wounds Through Human Connection
For the residents of Bugesera Elders’ Home, the visit provided more than companionship. Many elders have carried emotional scars for decades, facing loneliness and neglect alongside the trauma of the genocide. Gertrude Mukeshimana, an Intwaza, described the transformative effect of such engagements:
“In the past, I raised other people’s children, but when they grew up, they left, and I remained alone. When I fell sick, only neighbors would notice after many days. Life was extremely difficult.”
Since moving to the Bugesera Elders’ Home, her experience has changed dramatically:
“Here, we live two people per room. If one person falls sick, the other immediately reports it, and care is provided. Visitors come, children come to see us, and we feel joy again. We are truly happy now.”
These interactions demonstrate how regular human connection and attention can alleviate the isolation often faced by elderly survivors, fostering both emotional healing and a renewed sense of community.
Festive Celebrations and Shared Joy
The event at the home featured music, communal interaction, and the distribution of Christmas and New Year gifts, which were carefully prepared by the Unity Club team. Each elder received tokens of care, ranging from clothing and hygiene products to symbolic gifts that reinforce a sense of being remembered and valued.
The celebratory atmosphere was punctuated by performances, laughter, and storytelling, with elders and visitors sharing reflections on the past year and hopes for the new one. Through music, dance, and dialogue, the event reaffirmed that Rwandan unity and reconciliation extend beyond policy into tangible acts of compassion.
Unity Club Intwararumuri’s Mission
Founded in the aftermath of Rwanda’s genocide, Unity Club Intwararumuri has championed national unity and social cohesion for nearly three decades. Its mission extends beyond commemorative activities, encompassing practical support for vulnerable groups, educational initiatives, and the promotion of peace through communal engagement.
Through programs like the elders’ visits, the organization operationalizes its commitment to rebuilding the social fabric, ensuring that survivors of past atrocities can live with dignity, safety, and connection. The annual outreach also provides an opportunity for younger generations to engage directly with the history and resilience of Rwanda’s elderly population, fostering intergenerational understanding and empathy.
About Bugesera Elders’ Home
The Bugesera Elders’ Home has served as a refuge for Intwaza since July 2018, providing a secure and supportive environment for survivors who have endured unimaginable trauma. The facility offers comprehensive care, including healthcare, nutrition, social support, and dignified living conditions, ensuring that residents can age with respect and comfort.
By integrating social, medical, and emotional support, the home has become a model of elder care for genocide survivors, setting standards for similar initiatives in other districts and inspiring community-based approaches to post-conflict recovery.
Sustaining Hope and Resilience
The 2025 year-end visit by Unity Club Intwararumuri underscores Rwanda’s ongoing dedication to remembering its past while investing in social cohesion and human dignity. Each interaction, gift, and moment of shared celebration reinforces the message that genocide survivors are not forgotten and that their welfare remains a national priority.
Beyond the immediate joy, such programs have long-term benefits. Regular engagement with elders supports mental health, combats loneliness, and provides a framework for sustainable social support. Volunteers from Unity Club play a vital role, offering both logistical assistance and human connection, which are critical in environments where survivors live without immediate family.
As Rwanda approaches 2026, initiatives like these demonstrate the power of collective care and national solidarity, ensuring that the lessons of history inform contemporary actions. The elders’ smiles, stories, and gratitude during the Bugesera visit are tangible reminders of resilience, hope, and the enduring value of community support.
A Model for Community Engagement
The collaboration between Unity Club Intwararumuri and the Bugesera Elders’ Home provides a replicable model for community-based elder care and post-conflict social programs. By combining humanitarian outreach with structured support and festive celebration, the initiative strengthens social bonds and promotes a culture of empathy, respect, and intergenerational solidarity.
Such efforts are critical in Rwanda’s ongoing journey of healing and reconciliation, highlighting how targeted, thoughtful interventions can improve the quality of life for survivors while nurturing a shared national identity built on compassion and unity.
Looking Forward
Unity Club Intwararumuri plans to continue its outreach in the coming years, expanding coverage to additional regions and increasing volunteer engagement. By prioritizing both emotional support and practical assistance, the organization ensures that elderly genocide survivors remain connected, valued, and empowered, even decades after the genocide.
The festive visit to Bugesera Elders’ Home serves as a powerful symbol of hope, continuity, and communal responsibility, demonstrating that Rwanda’s commitment to its elders and to reconciliation extends well into the new year and beyond.
As 2026 approaches, initiatives like these offer a blueprint for inclusive care, reminding the nation that resilience, dignity, and human connection are central to building a stronger, more united Rwanda. Through ongoing programs and collective engagement, the Intwaza are celebrated, remembered, and supported in a manner that honors their past and invests in their future.
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