May 14, 2018: Malden Meets Maranyundo

The Maranyundo Girls School is 8,000 miles from Malden Massachusetts. One of the curriculum units in the World History course is a unit that focuses on genocide. Unfortunately there are many instances of genocide for students to encounter. But the genocide story that often captures the interest of the high school students in the Rwandan genocide.  The brutality, swiftness and the fact that neighbors often slaughtered neighbors makes the study of the genocide against the Tutsis particularly horrific. But the students also are amazed by the story of the gacaca courts and the reconciliation process that marked the early stages of the nation’s recovery. I have often been asked to come to speak to a class about the post-genocide rebuilding of Rwanda; I always tell the story of the Maranyundo School as evidence of the re-birth of that culture.

After my Novel Engineering course this evening, Noel Kuriakos, the IT guru at Maranyundo set up a Skype call for my students and students from Kerry Veritas’ World History class in Malden High School. Her students had studied Rwanda and in preparation of the Skype call had watched the Maranyundo video and accessed the website. They had prepared some questions for the girls. The Maranyundo girls were delighted to have a chance to interact with American high school students!

The conversation included questions for the MGS students about their school day, interests, future career dreams and whether or not they were allowed to date boys on campus. (No) The students shared ideas of “what do you do to relax (music, sports and reading seemed to cross cultures). “They shared responses to the question, “If there is anyplace you could travel, where would it be?” (USA, Paris, Mexico and London were high on the MGS  list). The career dreams for the two groups were very similar (Engineer, Lawyer, Actor, Teacher, Aeronautical Engineer, Doctor, Pilot). The MHS students also asked a question about the changing role of women in African cultures. The MGS students were clear that their school was, itself, a symbol of the rise of gender equality and rising respect for women as contributors to the new Rwanda.

Later in the evening, I received an email from Kerry Veritas. She wrote:

“I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak with your class today.  My students found it very rewarding.  I hope your students did as well.  My students especially noticed how seriously the students take their education and how much they value it.  It is something that is often hard to impart onto American children.  As I said when we ended the Skype, I would love an opportunity to continue some communication…  Thanks Again.”

Maybe it is the activism of the Parkland students that has made me so aware of the growing strength and commitment of young people to be eager to create communities of respect, responsibility through their leadership. But thinking about the Malden and Maranyundo conversation, and the “beam” that traveled over 8,000 miles to connect these two groups…there is something in the air, an energy, a pulse, a power that assures me that our future will be brighter for the future our youth can deliver.