Blog post written by Drew Otto, GMBA '20
After studying abroad in Berlin, Germany as an undergraduate student, I experienced life in a culture with a dark past. Yet, there was always comfort in knowing that most people with whom I interacted learned about the Holocaust like me - separated by time and the distance created by pages in a history book. But in the case of Rwanda, the 1994 genocide is much more recent. As my group researches and prepares for our work with impact investors and Rwandan agribusiness coops, I grow increasingly interested in Rwanda’s economy and history.
I instantly thought of the 2005 film Hotel Rwanda when I saw the African country listed on the GE&E’s Short-term Abroad Program (STAP) flyer. The horrific beginnings of the Rwandan genocide are portrayed from the perspective of a Hutu manager of the Hôtel des Milles Collines married to a Tutsi woman. I was touched by the film and wrenched that as a young boy in the U.S., I knew very little about such a global and unjust tragedy. I was drawn to the program in Rwanda to learn more about its past and to play a small role in developing the Rwandan economy.
Image 1: Drew in front of Berlin's iconic "TV Tower"
Professor Reid has led many student cohorts to Rwanda and has assuredly contributed to Rwanda’s sustainable development through his work with impact investors. I am fascinated to learn about this process of “patient capital”, in which investors connect with local Rwandan businesses to invest money that prioritizes positive social and environmental impact alongside profitable returns. I want to know what makes these investors tick and how I can best persuade and make a case for foreign investment that promotes societal improvement.
Image 2: Hotel Rwanda, Lionsgate Films, 2005.
Our classroom is filled with an excited curiosity as we learn about the Rwandan economy and people. I am eager to visit Rwandan coops that have collaborated to form international connections and attract foreign investment. Despite its size and poverty levels, Rwanda consistently ranks as one of the top African countries most suited for international business. Our instructors have prepared us for travel around Kigali and the eastern province and we are eagerly awaiting our departure. I look forward to exploring Africa for the first time and experiencing impact investment in a truly hands-on way. My graduation is one year away and this trip will surely influence my career goals and provide valuable business experience.
In order to learn more about the country’s history, a group of us were fortunate enough to book a room in the Hôtel des Milles Collines featured in the film. I wonder how much I will sleep that night, immersed in recent history while filled with excitement. I look forward to knowing that our work with impact investors and local Rwandan businessmen will, in some way or another, impact Rwanda in a way that truly matters.
