Les 3 petits panier Rwandais

I hadn’t finished the book on the plane as I was to busy talking to Karina from Fxb. So I finished the book last night. Last night the Dutch girls and I decided to stay in as it was raining too hard. Emily and Maartje as their names are suffer from hydrophobia. While finishing the book I realised how much truth there is in it. It describes being in Nyundo, Gisenyi, the village people, the hills, microfinance and poverty. Very similar to my life here. The name of the little Rwandan girl in the book is Impana which means gift in Kinyarwanda. I was touched as my middle and Igbo name is gift as well. Francine Gift Carron in Kinyarwanda I’d be Francine Impano Carron. I am going to keep in mind if I ever need a new screen name.

The book describes microfinance in its complete reality, the struggles and the job. It also talks about the meaning of poverty. The tale of a rich man that has everything wants to experience poverty. I can totally relate to this because in life we always aim to have more and become richer. We are convinced that by becoming richer, we automatically become happier. However in order to realise that wealthy doesn’t make happy you have to be rich first. Only when you are or have been rich you can appreciate the happiness in leading a basic life. I live myself a very nice life but being here in a basic room makes me realise that I don’t need anything but food and a place to sleep. People who have little can’t appreciate what they have because they have never been rich. Well most of us in the Western world have never been poor and hence need to experience poverty to learn.

I passed the lovely book as it is requested by the author Koen to Maartje and Emily, the Dutch girls. Emily is a nurse going to work in Uganda and Maartje is a Doctor. Talking to them I learned that the kid who jumped in the taxibus was actually infected with rabies. This explains the crazy reaction of the women pushing him with their feet of the bus.

Thank you Koen for lending me this book! I am sure Maartje and Emily will continue to pass it on on their journey in East Africa. Ceux qui ont les dents blanches rient.