The Amakondera Institute for Culture and Education will be a self-sustaining Center of Excellence for cultural revival, inspired early childhood development, and unprecedented community health for "historically marginalized people" descended from the official entertainers of the Royal Court of Rwanda; and it will invigorate performing arts traditions in Rwanda to delight and inspire the next generation.
By some estimates, one quarter of Rwanda's historical songs were traditionally performed by a tiny minority of the population. Yet, today, that reservoir of singers and musicians is almost forgotten, and faces imminent extinction, thus putting at risk the survival of hundreds of years of human creativity. This repertoire was a vital art of pre-colonial culture: comforted the Royal Court, inspired great leaders, and entertained the people. Now, this musical heritage may be lost forever.
A new campus of 5422 square meters (1.4 acres) to contain a performance venue, classrooms, kitchen, sanitary facilities, and gardens will create a home for the Amakondera Center for Culture and Early Childhood Education. In Phase 1, a performance stage, parking, sanitary facilities, and gardens will transform the building site. This entertainment and recreational resource will immediately become a valued local attraction and business generator for the rapidly expanding eastern Gasabo District.
In Phase 2, indoor spaces for meetings, teaching, and rehearsal, plus a kitchen, dining space and displays of traditional arts and crafts will expand the use of the Center for education and cultural enrichment. The people of Cyaruzinge community, primarily comprised of historically marginalized persons, will teach other historically marginalized communities how to foster an exciting cultural revival by inspiring their youth to embrace, respect, and foster their unique heritage for generations.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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