‘In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda.’

Kofi Annan

There are episodes in the history of humanity where appeasement and inactivity have allowed the innocent to be suppressed under troubled times. Compassion does not revolve about convenience and those in the developed world, comfortable in their everyday lives, must take responsibility for suffering around the globe. Success and stability as a race is not exclusive to those people comfortably close to home and harmony can only be achieved by aiding those furthest from our grasp.

Shadow minister for culture Tobias Ellwood partly funded by Adam Murry, Chairman of the Murry Foundation aims to transform a small community near Kigali that was devastated by the 1994 genocide into a vibrant centre for education.

Rwanda , officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa. It has a population of approximately 9 million. Rwanda supports the densest human populations in continental Africa. The country is well known to the outside world for the infamous 1994 genocide that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1 million people in as little as only 100 days. Despite the massacre in 1994 Rwanda has a long and tragic history of conflict, violence and serial genocide.

Rwanda today struggles to heal and rebuild, but shows signs of rapid development. Some Rwandans continue to grapple with the legacy of almost 60 years of intermittent war. One agent in Rwanda's rebuilding effort is the Benebikira Sisters, a Catholic order of nuns whose ministry is dedicated to education and healthcare. Since the genocide, the Sisters have housed and supported hundreds of orphans, and created and staffed schools to educate the next generation of Rwandans. However, their efforts are simply not enough to deal with the an engrained poverty that has prevented this country from rising out of a quagmire of despair.

The major markets for Rwandan exports are Belgium, Germany, and China. In April 2007, an investment and trade agreement, 4 years in the making, was worked out between Belgium and Rwanda. Belgium contributes $25-35 million euros per year to Rwanda, equivalent to the signing fee of a decent premiership footballer.

Rwanda has endeavoured to take steps towards a brighter future. By law, at least a third of the Parliament representation must be female. It is believed that women will not allow the mass killings of the past to be repeated. Rwanda topped a recently conducted global survey on the percentage of women in Parliament with as much as 49 percent female representation, currently the highest in the world.

Rwanda can progress but foreign support is crucial. The team of politicians and parliamentary workers, led by Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood, will update classrooms, build a playground and community area, improve accommodation and install proper sanitation and a new kitchen as part of a wider Tory initiative in the country, being overseen by leader David Cameron, sending teams to advise health service, education and government officials.

Adam Murry, Chairman of The Murry Foundation has been incredibly active in orphan welfare over the last few years and has agreed to support the trip. ‘Rwanda had had a legacy of pain and suffering’ comments Adam.’ When we have a tough day or need advice we turn to a friend. When a country has a bad day, week, year etc they need to know that there are friends willing to help. Even the smallest gesture can make a big difference. It is a huge relief to see politicians such as Tobias taking a stand against poverty. These are the people who will be running our country, and role models for our children and I am pleased to see that these politicians are taking action and setting an excellent example.’

The project will cost an estimated £10,000 with half donated personally by The Murry Foundation. ‘The idea is to get MPs not simply to talk about issues but to get involved directly in creating solutions,’ said Mr Ellwood.

The two week project takes place from July 15th to July 29th 2007, and accommodation costs of all MPs being met individually. The carbon footprint is being calculated for the entire trip and offset through a UN approved scheme.



For more information:

Please contact Daniel Hayward tel: 020 7219 6459, email: haywardd@parliament.uk