PEOPLE is a collection of A Day in a Life and human interest stories written by young school reporters in Rwanda and England. It celebrates the similarities and differences that exist between communities, helps us learn about each others lives and so broaden horizons, develops cross cultural understanding and nurtures mutual respect and friendship.

Damien teaches biology, creative arts, ICT, English (primary level) and an after school English Club at G.S. Muganza School, Nyaruguru District, Rwanda. Muganza School has about 1,400 students. There are just over a 1,100 students in the primary school years P1 - P6 (Years 1-6) and about 300 students in Senior 1-3 (Years 7-9). Rwanda has 9 compulsory years of education.  Damien really enjoys teaching because he likes interacting with young people and finds it a really rewarding way to make a living. The most challenging aspect of his job is an over loaded school timetable and poor pay*. Damien is 27 years old and was born in Southern Province, Rwanda. He’s single and has no children. I asked him about a typical day in his life……… I wake up each morning at 5am. I don't have running water at home so I walk about 1km down into the valley to collect water. I take a quick shower when I get home and then walk about 2 km’s to school. I teach the morning shift** which starts at 7.20am and goes through to 11.40am. I often buy some milk in the shop near school for lunch where I also buy something for dinner, maybe some Irish potatoes or beans with some vegetables. I’m back at school at 12.40pm for the afternoon shift and then leave school at 5pm. I walk the 2km’s home again and prepare lessons for the next day. * Teachers in Rwanda earn approximately 40,000 Rwandan Francs (RWF) per month (approx. £40 per month). Teachers with 5 years experience or more can expect to earn 45,000 RWF per month. ** Children attend school in two shifts - the morning shift is from 7:20am -11:40pm. The afternoon shift is from 12:40pm – 5pm.     

Our foreign correspondents in Rwanda have interviewed Jean Dusabe, director of Common Everybody, an internet platform that teams up school children around the world. He shares his views on Trump's win that took many of his countrymen by surprise - and who is now a popular person according to Dusabe. Do people in your area care about the US election result? Some people do care, especially those who have a TV in their homes and can watch the news. During the campaign, everyone thought Clinton would win so the whole nation was surprised by the election result. People started sharing news in English and in French on Whatsapp about Trumpization (a new word from Trump) about this surprise win.      Will it have any impact on you and your family? There might be some small, indirect impact, because the US is a powerful country and many Rwandans are keen to visit. However, some people might now feel that it is not as free as it used to be. Also, if some US organizations stop operating in Rwanda then there will definitely be some negative impact.     Which politician is popular in Rwanda at the moment and why? I think it’s probably Trump just at the moment.  During his campaign people thought he was almost just passing time and nobody thought he would actually get voted in.  It seems in hindsight though that he was on the right track. His victory has made people think again about Americans. American’s voted for Trump and this means it’s not only Trump with some unpopular ideas but also the Americans who voted him in.

Alida, a student at G.S. Muganza School in Southern Province, Rwanda and Head Teacher, Mr Vincent Ntakirutimana at Barnes Primary's partner school G.S. Rusuzumiro School offer their views on what the American election means to them and their fellow Rwandans. It turns out Trump is a household name there too. Interview with Alida from Muganza School, Rwanda Do people in your area care about the US election result? Yes people do care. Some are happy about Donald Trump, others are not. Those who are unhappy are unhappy because of the words he used in his debates. Will it have any impact on you and your family? No, I don't think it will have an impact on me and my family because we don't have a direct relationship with him. In general terms, however, there might be a negative impact nationally, especially in terms of my country’s relationship with the US. Which politician is popular in Rwanda at the moment and why? Actually Trump and Clinton are the most popular politicians here at the moment! When you say Trump it makes you think of Clinton – the US election results surprised everyone! No-one imagined that Trump would actually win. I think Clinton’s name will start to disappear as soon as people await Trump’s next moves. Interview with Head Teacher, Mr Vincent Ntakirutimana from G.S. Rusuzumiro School, Rwanda Do we care about the US election result? We have two distinct views: Some people appreciate Trump's success, due to his political guidelines, while others are fearful of the future negative impact that may happen to our country. Regarding the impact on myself and my family, unless the US President-Elect changes his political plans, I think there might be some negative impact on many African countries, e.g., political unrest. In particular, this relates to the resistance of some Chief of States who opt to change the constitution to benefit their vision for their country. The US President-Elect is planning to fight against our African leaders but who are the victims of this? The innocent people! In Rwanda, the most popular politician is His Excellence Paul Kagame, the President. There are a number of projects and programmes set up in his name which also add to his fame, e.g., The Kagame Cup (football), One Cow per Family Program, and many others. (Picture of teachers from Barnes Primary with Mr Ntakirutimana on a teacher training visit to share best practice - Rwanda July 2015).