Pottery and Politics: Understanding the Economic and Political Integration of Rwanda’s Batwa in Post Genocide Rwanda

Michelle Lee, SIT Study Abroad

Rwanda: Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding

Abstract

This paper seeks to understand how the Batwa, Rwanda’s marginalized people, have been integrated into Rwanda’s current economic and political situation. It engages in the questions of whether or not the Batwa are economically distinct, how they have benefitted from government poverty alleviation programs, such as VUP, Girinka, Mituelles de Santé and Ubudehe. It also examines how the Batwa are politically represented and their inclusion in Ndi Umunyarwanda.