"The Bright Light"
A poem by Francoise
At the dedication of the Urumuli rwa Gashora May 19, 2010
Beautiful light - our light – you come to Gashora
Bearing goodness, chasing away darkness.
At the sound of your footsteps,
I can’t help but to praise aloud your arrival.
You are a beautiful jewel;
You are brighter than the sunrise,
Even the sunset does not equal your beauty.
We, who receive you, are blessed.
Our singing is not in welcome of a new fad;
We shower you with appreciation, expressing our love.
You just reached your objective, you are the best;
Here in Gashora, play the role model.
I will sing your praise and love early morning,
Making everyone know who you are, and talking about
This wonder you brought us today.
Humbly I will talk until the dawn about your generosity
In bringing learning to the people of Rwanda;
In teaching us new ways to improve our lives,
Thank you so much, and never stop.
Shining Light—our Light donated by wonderful people,
For whom I wish God’s constant blessings and protection,
For they are taking us all the way to progress.
We were experiencing illiteracy and solitude,
But these philanthropists and beautiful ladies
Headed this way showing us kindness and progress.
You loved us without knowing us; you searched for us;
You reached our land and initiated projects
Which have met our needs.
We are thankful to our God who is using you.
Do you all know the wonderful persons I talk about?
Let me tell you more about Soozi and Shal,
Who refused to leave us behind, who had guts to see this through— May God shower them with plenty.
Do listen to why I praise them:
Both ladies have decided to fight our poverty
Their teaching is aiming at our well being.
Only Enlightenment can explain their giving.
From the start Suzanne spent sleepless nights,
Because long was the road to reach the goal.
She said: ―I won’t rest until they get a place
Where they all will meet and share thoughts, and
Acquire knowledge for a better future."
She decided to build this Community Center
For Gashora ladies and encouraged them to warm up,
And work hard for the well being of their beloved ones.
Shal has tirelessly sought opportunities
To improve the conditions of our community,
Putting forth a lot of effort for our growth.
She said: ―I want them to learn Sciences and Technology;
I wish they will learn to surmount their fears.
I will do everything possible for Gashora’s development.
They both immediately sent dollars;
They sacrificed their easy life for Gashora’s evolution,
And selflessly their families and friends contributed to their efforts.
From now on, we are no longer alone;
We will gather into this place on a regular basis
To acquire more knowledge and various skills,
To learn foreign languages and practice sports.
Soozi and Shal saved us from begging on the street,
From manual labor and prostitution,
Ignorance and crime.
They allow us to gain and share knowledge,
To learn to use new technologies,
To give us a voice in government.
And this government of unity did not abandon us,
But showered us with love.
By consoling us and giving us back our humanity,
We were finally able to take a breath;
Our voices are heard in decision making.
Let me end by thanking the Lord
Who has loved us from birth,
Who gave us friends with vision
Like Suzanne and Shal who I praised above
May God bless them.
Translated by Maria Bwakira, Rwanda Girls Initiative, In-Country Director