Conflict and Literacy - Benita Gaju Rutagarama

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled 
- Plutarch 

Benita Gaju Rutagarama, an adjudicator and contributing trainer/coach at IDebate Rwanda did not realize her passion for debate until when her then mentor suggested to her that she should give it a try. Successfully suppressing her initial resistance to the idea and overcoming the deep-seated fear of speaking in front of large groups of people, she went in on it and the rest was history. 

 In this episode, Gaju, presently a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at Sciences Po, France engages our hosts in a conversation during which she reflects on her journey in debate. She touches on how debate has not only improved her confidence and, therefore, opened doors to most of the opportunities she has had in life but also transformed her understanding of pertinent issues such as the Rwandan genocide.  

 Additionally, she speaks in a broader sense about the importance of debate and literacy especially targeted for the African youth. 

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 Soundtrack: Ifeanyichukwu Ezinmadu and Fraser Macdonald
Audio editing: Geofrey Njovu