Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. But nineteen years after the genocide,poverty and overcrowding are ongoing problems.
“It all started when my mother died. She said goodbye to me and that we would meet in heaven,” says Eric Mugiraneza.
He did not have a father to support him and his mother. So Eric went to the countryside to look for food. But when after three days he got home to their hut, he found his mother’s dead body lying on ground being eaten by maggots and cockroaches. His relatives rejected him and at the age of twelve Eric washad no one to take care of him. He decided to go to Kigali, capital city of Rwandabegging on the streets to survive.
Life in the streets is difficult. The history of each street child is unique. Some are orphans and end up in the street because they have nobody to care for them. Others have become victims of poverty, leaving their families in the hope to find more happiness in the streets of the city or simply to have something to eat every day.
“One of the bad things on the streets is that people despise you. I sniffed glue and smoked cigarettes,” says young Eric.Two years later, Fidesco a Rwandan shelter for homeless boys took in Eric.“We talk to the children who have big problems in their families and who have the will to quit the streets,” says Joseph Bitega of Fidesco.
Fidesco gives the boys temporary shelter. Fidesco was privileged to have Rebecca Davis Dance Company (RDDC) which trains choreography. Thefounder, Rebecca Davis is an American and she tells of her first encounter with the street children.
“In 2008 I came to Rwanda for the first time. I met with street kids who were hip hopdancers.I was shocked that a kid who doesn’t have a home, food and even parents could have this joy of life because he dances and soI thought there’s something more we could do with dance,” says Rebecca Davis, founder ofRDDC in America.
Four years later, RDDC opened a branch in Kigali and for a year RDDC and Fidesco have been in partnership and they have helped integrate street children to society. Eric was the first student in the dance program. He has much talent in dance and therefore dancing brought out the happy Eric. RDDC also raises funds for few best dancers to leave Fidesco and study full time in school. Eric is one of them and he is very happy.
“I don’t feel like an orphan anymore. I feel just like other people,” says happy Eric. “WhenI first saw Eric dancing, I didn’t take it seriously. But when I realized it was his success in dance that enabled him to go to school, I understood how important it was,” says young Patrick. Patrick joined the streets when his father whom he calls a womanizer kicked them out of their home.
When he started dancing he was not flexible like other kids, and so he fought hard to do the splits and laterPatrick improved greatly. As Rebecca’s time to leave the kids and go back to Americanears, Patrick is wondering whether his dreams of getting sponsorship to go to school will come true. But his hard work and love for dance would finally pay off and his dreams would come to pass. “I knew it!” says Eric happily when Rebecca tells him that he’d be taken to school.
The two boys are taking the future with both hands and though they may have been in the streets for a long time, they are glad to find a haven and hope. Dance is good because it allows children to express themselves.
Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. But nineteen years after the genocide,poverty and overcrowding are ongoing problems.
“It all started when my mother died. She said goodbye to me and that we would meet in heaven,” says Eric Mugiraneza.
He did not have a father to support him and his mother. So Eric went to the countryside to look for food. But when after three days he got home to their hut, he found his mother’s dead body lying on ground being eaten by maggots and cockroaches. His relatives rejected him and at the age of twelve Eric washad no one to take care of him. He decided to go to Kigali, capital city of Rwandabegging on the streets to survive.
Life in the streets is difficult. The history of each street child is unique. Some are orphans and end up in the street because they have nobody to care for them. Others have become victims of poverty, leaving their families in the hope to find more happiness in the streets of the city or simply to have something to eat every day.
“One of the bad things on the streets is that people despise you. I sniffed glue and smoked cigarettes,” says young Eric.Two years later, Fidesco a Rwandan shelter for homeless boys took in Eric.“We talk to the children who have big problems in their families and who have the will to quit the streets,” says Joseph Bitega of Fidesco.
Fidesco gives the boys temporary shelter. Fidesco was privileged to have Rebecca Davis Dance Company (RDDC) which trains choreography. Thefounder, Rebecca Davis is an American and she tells of her first encounter with the street children.
“In 2008 I came to Rwanda for the first time. I met with street kids who were hip hopdancers.I was shocked that a kid who doesn’t have a home, food and even parents could have this joy of life because he dances and soI thought there’s something more we could do with dance,” says Rebecca Davis, founder ofRDDC in America.
Four years later, RDDC opened a branch in Kigali and for a year RDDC and Fidesco have been in partnership and they have helped integrate street children to society. Eric was the first student in the dance program. He has much talent in dance and therefore dancing brought out the happy Eric. RDDC also raises funds for few best dancers to leave Fidesco and study full time in school. Eric is one of them and he is very happy.
“I don’t feel like an orphan anymore. I feel just like other people,” says happy Eric. “WhenI first saw Eric dancing, I didn’t take it seriously. But when I realized it was his success in dance that enabled him to go to school, I understood how important it was,” says young Patrick. Patrick joined the streets when his father whom he calls a womanizer kicked them out of their home.
When he started dancing he was not flexible like other kids, and so he fought hard to do the splits and laterPatrick improved greatly. As Rebecca’s time to leave the kids and go back to Americanears, Patrick is wondering whether his dreams of getting sponsorship to go to school will come true. But his hard work and love for dance would finally pay off and his dreams would come to pass. “I knew it!” says Eric happily when Rebecca tells him that he’d be taken to school.
The two boys are taking the future with both hands and though they may have been in the streets for a long time, they are glad to find a haven and hope. Dance is good because it allows children to express themselves.
Directors: Peter Goldsmid
Writers:
Producers: Yingna Wu
Key cast:
Categories:
Student project: No
Completion date: 2013-05-05
Shooting format: Digital
Aspect ratio:
Film color: Color
First-time filmmaker: No
Subtitles:
Country:
Language: