May 31, 2013

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Spoken Word Rwanda brings out an enthusiastic crowd for some fun poetry readings and audience participation at the Inema Art Center in Kacyiru.




Jocelyn, a Spoken Word regular, reading from her latest poem.



Diana, co-founder of Spoken Word Rwanda.



"The Voice" (you have to hear it to believe it) and Eric, two of the evening's performers.



Portia reads from her brand new Sci-fi novel.



Audience participation led to impromptu belly dancing, singing and break dancing.



Some of the audience members, enjoying the show.

Location:Boulevard du M.R.N.D.,Kigali,Rwanda

May 30, 2013

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Outside of the Inema Art Center there is a garden.  In the garden, there is this amazing sculpture/mobile.  In the background is the city of Kigali.  I dig it.

May 29, 2013

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While photographing a spoken word event at the Inema Art Center, I was taken by the art that surrounded us all.  Here's a sample of that inspiration.

May 28, 2013

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This is a variation on a photo I shared on May 1st.  I find I much prefer this one because this is pretty much exactly what I saw when I first turned the corner into the bathroom.  The striking contrasts and natural framing made me run down the hall to grab my camera before Chewbacca relinquished his post.

May 27, 2013

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Rwanda has done something truly revolutionary; they've opened the first ever movie theater in the history of the country! It's a beaut. Hoping they get better fare than "Die Hard 22" and "Iron Man 317."

Location:Rue de Masaka,Kigali,Rwanda

May 26, 2013

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Food porn at the Africa International Club's Food Fair in Kigali.

From Nepal.

From Canada.

From South Korea.

From Belgium.

From Japan.

From Rwanda.

May 25, 2013

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Our handsome man, Chewbacca, ponders the world and reflects on it, too.

Location:Avenue de la Justice,Kigali,Rwanda

May 24, 2013

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Cutest husband ever, hugging a tree in the Botanical Gardens of Christchurch, NZ.

May 23, 2013

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Fond memories of hiking and camping on the Abel Tasmen trail on the southern island of New Zealand in November of 2012.  No wonder Kiwis are so danged nice, they have this surrounding them all the time.

May 22, 2013

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It's clear that I did not take this picture--our wonderful wedding photographer Art Illman did--but I just love this image so much.  Our wonderful Wolfe cousins wrapped us in toilet paper and message balloons at our Weddiversary in October of 2012.  As my husband said it best, "We got Wolfed." Love.

May 21, 2013

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Two of my favorite people, Gadi and Mussa.

May 20, 2013

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Here comes the rain again. 

 (Well, actually, no.  The rainy season is unofficially over here in Rwanda.  But, I like this picture, so there.)

May 19, 2013

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In a really big hurry at City Arts Ballet recital in Gaculiro on Saturday. City Arts Kigali

Location:Avenue de la Justice,Kigali,Rwanda

May 18, 2013

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Kigali City Tower, featured in a few of my previous Photos of the Day, clearly had some wonky construction choices as the building was erected. At the front of every floor (all 18) is a door to, ostensibly, nowhere. In this photo, you can see the view from the 16th floor doorway, all the way down to the unsuspecting cars parked way below. I'm just grateful that the door I was standing at happened to be locked.

Location:Avenue de la Rupublique,Kigali,Rwanda

May 17, 2013

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A skeptic.

May 16, 2013

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The rainy season causes constant Proof of Puppy.

May 15, 2013

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Life in Kigali's city streets.

May 14, 2013

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How do you get a wood-burning metal stove, like the one below, in Rwanda?

Like this.

May 13, 2013

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My husband, Mark, joined us at The Office Rwanda and had a wonderful time expressing his visually creative side.

Location:Avenue de la Justice,Kigali,Rwanda

May 12, 2013

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The Office Rwanda, along with artist and teacher Dennis Dybdal, put on a small event to teach some folks how to Stencil and, by extension, the very interesting history of graffiti, street art and hip hop. Here is the beginning of my first experiment. I'm looking forward to incorporating spray paint into my future photography exhibitions.

Location:Rue Mont Kabuye,Kigali,Rwanda

May 11, 2013

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My departing friend Helle's son, Axel, sleeping during the family's going away party.

May 10, 2013

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Rwandan fabric pleases the eye.

May 9, 2013

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Industry in Kigali creates beautiful waste; hand-made charcoal stoves leave behind squiggles of sparkly delight.

May 8, 2013

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Fire.

May 7, 2013

Last year, I met Claude Ibishaka.  He had been living on the streets and doing drugs every day.  Through the BCSM (Behavior Change and Social Marketing) campaign that was run, in part, by Johns Hopkins University (and about 65 other Rwandan organizations), he was able to find help and get his life on track.  He is now a gardener at the local health clinic, has a goat at home and is raising funds to purchase a cow.  A goat and a cow, in Rwanda, are clear signs of success.   Below the photographs posted here, I've shared the article I wrote about Claude for the BCSM project I was helping to document.

Claude wears his orange gardeners smock with pride; shoulders erect, head up, eyes wide.  He wields his shears with loose confidence as they hang from his hand by his side.  He is surrounded by children and families at the local health center where he works.  The sun beats down on him as he toils in the health center gardens.  But, his life was not always on this path.

“I had lived on the street for six years.  I was not able to go home and, after awhile, I just gave into the street life and smoked marijuana every single day of my life.”  Claude shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “Because of the drugs, I became alienated from my family and my parents.  Sister Leocadie found me and she and BCSM gave me information to help me to change my life, if I wanted to.”  Sister Leocadie is one of the Coaches in the BCSM Coach/Captain model.  She sensitizes and educates marginalized and high risk youth and they, in turn, can become Captains for future generations.  She spoke very fondly of Claude.  “One of the greatest results of all our hard work is now I don’t have to work so hard because all the children who are coaches and striving to become coaches, like Claude, are working so hard for each other.  It is truly wonderful.”

Claude continues, “At first, we were just trained, and I did not really know what, if anything, could change.  For two days, I just sat there, not knowing why I was there, really.  I went through the training--how to prevent HIV, how to prevent pregnancy, how to become a good member of society and contribute.  It was a slow process.  Very slow, really, for me to change.  The first step I took was to stop smoking pot.   After I stopped doing drugs, I was able to learn how to live well with my parents again.”

Claude snips away at a bush nearby.  “BCSM helped me to change myself and helped me to get my job.  They helped to heal me when I felt like I had nothing left to live for.  I often reflect on that time.  Things have changed so much. I thought I had no future, I felt like I only had drugs.”  Claude finds a stray branch jutting from a nearby bush and prunes it.  “But now, now I have a plan.  I have a job and I have a goat at home.  In October, I will buy a cow!  I am planning for the future.”

Claude removes a few more leaves from the bush he has been working on.  He steps back and assesses his work, nodding.  As he turns to walk back up the drive to his next task, he smiles at the two little girls next to him.

He watches the two children--one carrying the other on her back--and then turns back. “The advice I give to street children, as a Captain, now, but, really, as a former street child, myself, is that I was once just like them.  And now I am happier, healthier.  We can all change, with hope and help.  And I help them.”

May 6, 2013

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Is it the surface of the moon? Blemished and pristine at The Office Rwanda.

Location:Boulevard du M.R.N.D.,Kigali,Rwanda

May 5, 2013

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It's all about your point of view at The Office Rwanda.

Location:Avenue de Rusumo,Kigali,Rwanda

May 4, 2013

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Let there be light. The Office Rwanda has managed to make fluorescent lights palatable by texturing the ceilings in a visually satisfying style.

Location:Boulevard du M.R.N.D.,Kigali,Rwanda

May 3, 2013

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On Friday, May 3, The Office Rwanda hosted their first of a monthly-themed "First Friday" evening of art, drinks, food and good friends.  Over the course of the next three blog posts, I'll be sharing some of the cool things and people I saw while mingling with the Kigalierati.

No office is complete without a foozball table.  And a cup of half-consumed wine.

Power to the people at The Office, Rwanda.

Of course, all photography is about light, but sometimes I like photography when it is just so blatantly about light.

May 2, 2013

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I love that cat.

Location:Rue des Parcs,Kigali,Rwanda

May 1, 2013

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Our laundry.

Location:Boulevard du M.R.N.D.,Kigali,Rwanda