[Report] Two TUFS students have started the exchange program at PUR (Rwanda)

Ayari Hirayama and Hirosuke Koide, a third-year students at the School of International and Area Studies, have started an exchange program at Protestant University of Rwanda in Rwanda from Sept. 2024. They will study peacebuilding in the Faculty of Development Studies for about one year. Here are the messages from Ayari and Hirosuke.

Message from Ayari

Hello, I’m Ayari Hirayama, from the African major, the department of International Society. I started studying abroad at Protestant University of Rwanda (PUR) in September 2024, and I’m going to major in peace building and reconciliation for about a year.
Rwanda is a country that experienced the genocide 30 years ago, and family of victims and ex-prisoners have been in the process of reconciliation and coexistence with their memory. And many of the students have the background of experiencing the conflicts in Democratic Republic of the Congo or The Republic of South Soudan etc. In the environment that I can study about peace building in Africa and other countries, and hear about the identities and experiences, opinions of each of them, I really appreciate this valuable opportunity.
The campus of PUR is located in Huye, which has rich nature and beautiful landscapes, moderate climate. With the support from Japanese people living in Huye such as Professor Kazuyuki Sasaki, who have teached in the course of peace and conflict studies, and my colleagues here, I have been enjoying living every day.
I sincerely appreciate all the people that supported me for this program, and I would like to actively work on the experiences and learning I can do here in Rwanda.

 

Message from Hirosuke

Muraho! (Hello!)
My name is Hirosuke Koide, a third-year student at the Faculty of International Society.
I am studying abroad at the Protestant University of Rwanda, located in Huye, Rwanda, to learn about achieving sustainable development and peace building in developing countries.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and the country has grown into an “African miracle,” with skyscrapers lining the streets of the capital city.
Huye, where the university is located, is a small town compared to the capital, but even among strangers, people are often greeting to each other, saying “Amakuru? – Nimeza! (How are you? – I’m fine!)  I love this warm culture very much.
It is quite a challenge to live away from home for the first time in Rwanda, but I am enjoying my time in the university dormitory with the help of students from all over Africa and two Japanese students who are studying in Rwanda with me! (It will take me a little time longer to master hand washing laundry.) During this year, in addition to classes, I hope to grow by getting involved with various people in Africa through playing soccer/ futsal, which I love, and through dispatch of information about Africa as an internship, as well as volunteer activities at schools.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the people at the IAfP Office, Dr. and Mrs. Sasaki, who have supported our study abroad program and the senior students having connected the friendship between the Japanese people and the Protestant University of Rwanda.