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Visions of Rwanda Photo Project

Xaverina Niragire

Photo by Linda Smith

Xaverina Niragire is a survivor of the genocide in which she lost her husband and three sons. After her tragic loss, Xaverina had no desire to continue living and attempted to drown herself in a lake. As she began to heal, she wanted to forgive the men that killed her family. Many of these men were afraid to ask Xaverina for forgiveness, however one man – Thacien - had the courage to ask her forgiveness for killing her son. Xaverina forgave Thacien and they formed a strong bond.  She eventually forgave all of the men that killed her family. Xaverina’s photographs depict her love for children and her desire to forgive others.

Xaverina Niragire
A portrait of Xaverina and Thacien. Xaverina thinks of Thacien as her son and he thinks of her as a mother. Her power to forgive Thacien enabled him to forgive himself.
Xaverina took this photograph of two different trees growing out of one as she felt it was an extraordinary example of cohabitation and of unity and reconciliation.
Two men stand in front of their home.
A woman feeds her cow while carrying her baby on her back.
A little boy holds a bucket of potatoes on his head.
A portrait of one of the men that killed her husband and sons.
Xaverina shows her forgiveness to one of the men that killed her family by giving him the peace offering of a hug. During Christmas Eve, Xaverina held a forgiveness dinner for all the men that killed her family.
Xaverina photographs the location of where her house used to stand before it was destroyed in the 1994 genocide.
Small trees are getting ready for planting. These trees represent a new beginning, a renewal.
Some people from Xaverina’s community sit outside enjoying the day.
A little girl plays in front of Xaverina's home. There are always many children around her home. Xaverina is greatly respected in her community and is known as a loving woman that always opens her home and heart to many people.
Two children stand next to a cow.
A little boy climbs up a tree and sits within its branches.
A woman works in the fields while carrying her baby on her back.
A man from Xaverina's community sitting and relaxing.
Xaverina reads from the bible while conducting the funeral for a young woman in her community who recently died of malaria. Many people see Xaverina as a leader in their community and she was asked to perform this burial.
The young woman’s body is being carried away for burial.
Men dig a burial site for the young woman who died.
The community gathers to mourn and pay their last respects to the young woman who died.
A portrait of the mother of the young woman who died.
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