7th April 2020
Today is the start of the Genocide against the Tutsis Memorial Week and is a bank holiday. People would normally meet up in villages and districts to listen to talks, and to discuss
Simone
My name is Simone and I have been living here in Rwanda since January working as a VSO volunteer. This is my story of Rwanda during Covid-19.
6th April 2020
Before the lockdown when I was working every day, I only knew my landlady to say hello to when I saw her around. Now we’re beginning to chat every day. We have
5th April 2020
Today I should have been going to Zanzibar but instead we are in lockdown and no-ones going anywhere. I hear from the girls that they got home safely, but only after a nerve
4th April 2020
Today’s the day the girls are leaving. One of them calls me on the way to the airport and can see monkeys running across the main road, where there used to be
3rd April 2020
Today I’m sure I’m staying. I have an early morning Zoom call to discuss the toolkit and tasks that we need to complete It’s a busy morning but in the
2nd April 2020
I have dreams about disturbing scenarios on flights. I feel I have made the right decision and that the flight is more risky than staying, but I still wonder whether I might be
1st April
Today we have our weekly Zoom catchup with the VSO Country Director and as usual it cuts out during parts of the conversation. There is a VSO medical advisor that joins the chat
31st March
I’m still working from home and it’s very full on. I’m getting constant WhatsApp messages and emails, even more WhatsApp groups being set up for various work groups, and requests
30th March 2020
The Rwandan newspaper The New Times releases an article on awareness of mental health during lockdown and identifies triggers such as isolation, rising numbers of death (although there have been none so far
29th March 2020
There are further deliveries of food to those who are struggling. I walk to a larger supermarket and get some food. It’s nice to see people again and I take photos of
28th March 2020
I go for a walk to the local shop. There is a big building up the road that’s behind a high wall with gates, I’ve seen it open before and I
27th March 2020
President Paul Kagame addresses the nation to say that the Government will do everything possible to support vulnerable Rwandans during the coronavirus containment period, and acknowledges the social and economic challenges that are