Our History
In 2013 Claus Schrowange traveled to the Great Lakes Region of Africa from Germany. Schrowange formed Badilika, a Theatre of the Oppressed troupe that toured in both the DRC and Rwanda from 2013-2014. With this troupe, Schrowange developed a play called "Rotten Tomatoes" with a group of young adults from the DRC and Rwanda that showcased the prejudices and stereotypes Congolese and Rwandans hold against one another.
“Rotten Tomatoes” helped both Congolese and Rwandans examine discrimination based on ethnicity and identify why these prejudices flourished in their communities. Through forum theatre, the cultural beliefs and attitudes held by certain communities were interrogated, and they were done so with members of both opposing ethnic groups in the same space.
“Rotten Tomatoes” was created and performed by both Congolese and Rwandan citizen-actors, modeling cooperation between the two different groups. Seeing that peace is possible between Rwandans and Congolese encouraged audience members to rethink their prejudices about one another.
At first meeting Badilika with opposition, Eliezer Kasereka was soon inspired by the work the group was doing to promote peace, reconciliation, and the reexamination of deep-seated prejudices. So in 2016 he founded The Rutshuru Amani Kwetu Theatre of the Oppressed group for peace, reconciliation, legality, and equality.
AMANI KWETU INTERNATIONAL, works in partnership with and for vulnerable
populations, in particular women, young people, children, victims of human rights violations, people in conflict region, war torn region in order to bring them moral or material help for self-decision making for change in the fields of education on peace, training in peace, the environment, the fight against sexual violence and those based on gender, forest rehabilitation, prevention, and community reintegration/reintegration through films, Theatre of the Oppressed, cinematographic projections and in listening clubs for the Congolese
population and other means that can help them achieve the goal and mission by AMANI KWETU INTERNAIONAL AISBL. This mission extends beyond the Rutshuru territory and can develop them in other territories and countries with the means.
Read more about Eliezer's work on our blog page.
Activities
AMANI KWETU INTERNATIONAL AISBL as an international non-profit and NGO based in Africa, fighting prejudice, promoting peaceful coexistence, environmental protection and promotion of humans rights for sustainable development aligns with the logic of strategic planning, considered as an instrument of participation par excellence. The approach undertaken for this planning was designed in the sense of a participatory methodology so that the members and grassroots organizations concerned by this plan and its development so that they are involved in the different strategies that will be recorded.
To do this, the members of the AMANI KWETU INTERNATIONAL AISBL in the
extraordinary assembly of the institutional review had recommended to the organization to have Intervention strategies focused on well-defined axes, to shine in a sustainable and professional manner.
Promoting Exchange Between Loyal Soldiers, War Veterans, and Former Militia Members For Peace
Our participatory theatre opens dialogue between different ethnic groups and works against prejudices and stereotypes. For this particular project, we use T.O. to help reintegrate former militia members into their communities. Building trust between community members and former militia members.
International Impact
In May 2020 AMANI KWETU INTERNAIONAL AFRICA took on a international sorting dimension with integration into its structure and project of groups made up of South Sudanese, Ugandans, Somalis, Eritreans and Congolese, most of whom are victims of atrocities in their countries. Who are refugees in Uganda Kampala and in refugee camps. We aim for the same objectives for peace, legality, equality, and environmental protection for sustainable development in Africa AMI AFRICA.