Given a Rwandan Name

The women working for Women for Women International decided it was time to give me my Rwandan name. The women as a group chose "Muhorakeye" (moo-hora-key - rolling the r) which means, brings laughter, smiles, joy, and happiness. I was very pleased and honored that this is my Rwandan name chosen by the women of Rwanda.

Since I love black and white photography, I thought this may be the place to put some of those images.

In the villages the sun is the time and the moon is the calendar. Africans believe the moon has great influence over events. Its clarity and transformations, the faithfulness with which it measures time, and the assistance it provides to travelers cause them to regard it as their friend. They believe that the stars are the children, servants, and soldiers of the moon.

Rwanda has four seasons: Urugalyi, the short dry season in January and February; Itumba, the heavy rainy season in March and April; Ikyi, the long dry season from May through August; and Umuhindo, the long rainy season from September through December.

In the North especially, everything grows, vegetables, flowers, herbs, coffee and tea. Pyretheum, a flower, looking like a daisy grows in abundance. This flower makes insecticides that is sold around the world. There are many plantations of Pyretheum in Musanze and Gisenyi.
The soil is so rich and fertile. It will give birth to any seed planted. So many people are farmers and take their goods to the market everyday. They walk many miles, and try to get home by sunset. No matter how tired they may be they will always have a smile for you, and be kind. Rwanda has 2 harvests a year.

I loved the bee hives in the trees and the production of honey. Rwanda has delicious honey.