Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Johnston Busingye today visited the UK National Holocaust Centre -a birthplace of the Aegis Trust, and applauded the organization for supporting Rwanda.
Aegis Trust, an international organization that advocates to prevent genocide and mass atrocities worldwide, supported Rwanda in establishing and managing the Kigali Genocide Memorial in 2004.
The memorial site run by Aegis Trust on behalf of the government, is currently the final resting-place for more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Amb. Busingye met with Aegis Trust founder and CEO Dr. James Smith and toured distribution facilities and retail stores run by the Trust – White Rose recycled fashion chain in Hockley and Nottingham’s Old Market Square.
White Rose, was started by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) graduates in 2009 following a visit they made to the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
White Rose is a growing social enterprise which supports the peacebuilding work of Aegis Trust in Rwanda and beyond that aims to address climate change impact through the fashion industry.
Busingye also met White Rose founder Grace Walker, as well as Greg Campher, Director at Kigali Coffee and Nottingham’s Outpost Coffee roastery, where they toured the facility.
Both companies are working with White Rose on a new specialty coffee enterprise supporting the Aegis Trust called ‘Good Human Coffee’, which improves quality and increases income for coffee farmers in Rwanda.
The High Commissioner was sampled with some of the specialty ‘Good Human Coffee’, sourced from Muyumbu Washing Station in Rwanda’s Eastern Province.
“This is an incredible operation,” Busingye told Dr. James Smith and his colleagues in Nottingham; “Supporting sustainable livelihoods and responding to climate change, you’re creating a family and it’s growing”.
Johnston Busingye and Dr. James Smith, CEO of AEGIS Trust
Busingye stated that Aegis Trust has a global vision which is serving a great cause in Rwanda and building peace internationally and this will still be growing so, even in a hundred years from now.
Dr. James Smith said it was a big privilege to introduce High Commissioner Johnston Busingye to the birthplace of the Aegis Trust, and to the development of their enterprises- White Rose and Good Human Coffee
“Developed at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Peace and Values Education has global relevance. We look forward to helping peace education become Rwanda’s most valuable export,” Dr. Smith said.
