WP1 Pre-Writing 3

The photo I chose was taken in western Rwanda overlooking Lake Kivu in 2000. This was only six years after the terrible Rwandan genocide ended, a violent conflict between the Tutsis and the Hutus, the two major ethnic groups in Rwanda and its neighboring country Burundi.

The crisis began in April 1994, and by June, there were about 800,000 dead, mostly Tutsis. Rwanda has a long history of conflict between the two groups that culminated in the assassination of the Hutu Rwandan president on April 6, 1994. The Hutu backlash resulted in the mass murder of the Tutsis, and millions more fled Rwanda to neighboring countries. Conflict still remains however as the current Tutsi government continues to invade the Democratic Republic of Congo to attempt to get rid of the Hutus that are refugees there.

As a result of all this, about 95,000 Rwandan children were killed or orphaned. This influenced Rosamond Carr, an American woman who had been living in Rwanda, to create what would come to be the Imbabazi Orphanage. Over 400 kids have been cared for in the orphanage, and one of these kids was Musa, the photographer of the picture I chose.

"Through the Eyes of Children" was a photography project started at the Imbabazi Orphanage. The program gave disposable cameras to the children to take "pictures for themselves and to share with others, exploring their community, and finding beauty as the country struggles to rebuild" (Rwandaproject.org).

Knowing this sheds more light on the situation of the children at the orphanage and helps the viewer of the photograph to appreciate it more. At first glance, it is just a photograph of children looking out at a lake, but knowing the historical and cultural context of the photo appeals to the viewers' emotions, or pathos. It makes the audience wonder more about the particular photograph--Why was it taken? What does it show? Who are these children? And what about the photographer? While not a professional photographer, he had a specific purpose in mind when he took this picture. He wanted to show what life is like for these children, so often forgotten by the rest of the world. With the help of the Rwanda Project, Musa helped to ensure that these children will not be forgotten and that their story will reach the rest of the world.

Works Cited
Rwanda: How the Genocide Happened. BBC News. 18 December 2008. 17 February 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1288230.stm.

Imbabazi: A Home for Hope. 17 February 2010. http://imbabazi.org/home.php.

Through the Eyes of Children. The Rwanda Project. 17 February 2010. http://www.rwandaproject.org/index.html.