Our short stay at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village was marked by many moments that I will not soon forget. Debate night was one such moment.
Debate night is held within each family every Wednesday before dinner. This week’s discussion revolved around Rwanda’s proposed entrance into the East African Federation. I was impressed by the passionate arguments from each side of the topic, as well as the diplomacy displayed when listening and responding to opposing opinions.
My new friend Alfonse graciously interpreted for me, as the students use Kinyarwanda during debate. The language barrier allowed me to step back a bit from the topic at hand and focus more on the flow of the conversation. I could tell from the student’s tone and body language that they were eager to express their own opinions, yet genuinely interested in hearing the opinion of others. As Alfonse summarized each student's opinion I found myself nodding in agreement, persuaded by the articulate reasoning of the viewpoint.
The student’s interaction with one another helped me realize the importance of this hour. It is distinctly separate from formal education activities, not graded or judged in any way. It provides the students an opportunity to practice building key interpersonal, listening and critical thinking skills in an informal, familial setting. This is just one example of the village providing real opportunity for these amazing students to grow and become future leaders in Rwanda and beyond.
I look forward to staying in touch with the amazing kids I met at the ASYV, as well as the talented staff, counselors and teachers. I am proud to be a part of an organization that genuinely values the work it took to get the village to where it is today, and is committed to help the students of the ASYV “go far” in the future.
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