Ravaged Rwanda
Despite enjoying plentiful sunshine and rain, Rwanda struggles to feed its people. The country is heavily populated, so the land is generally overworked and the steep slopes suffer continuously from soil erosion in the heavy rain. Currently 67% of the population live below the poverty line. In 1994, genocide resulted in nearly a million people being killed in just three months. There are grim reminders of these terrible days in the genocide memorials. Disease and lack of education remain big problems in Rwanda. The government is trying to make primary schooling freely available, but there are still many children who receive little or no schooling. Health care is extremely rudimentary, with 300 qualified doctors serving a population of over 8 million, and many die young from preventable disease. AIDS is a growing problem.
There are many young orphan families. Clemence, who is 16 years old and is pictured here with her younger brother and sister, has looked after the family for the last six years. Their house has no windows, furniture or running water. When it rains, which it does regularly and torrentially, the three children have to stand in the corner to keep dry.
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