Welcome to Rwanda!

by Katherine

We were first introduced to the power of positive thinking and collective cooperation in Rwanda upon arrival at the Kigali airport. Having breezed through passport control and customs with amazing speed (an indication of how organized this country is), our record-setting dash through airport-dom was thwarted by an official who was eyeing up our luggage. She approached us and indicated that she wished to confiscate the plastic bag from our duty-free goods, which we had purchased in Johannesburg. We obliged, although slightly mystified. The answer was to become overwhelmingly apparent on our travels over the next couple of weeks: non-biodegradable plastic bags have been banned from the country of Rwanda! As a result, it is the cleanest, most litter-free country we have visited yet. This was only the first of many pleasant surprises awaiting us in Rwanda. By all accounts, the current government here seems to be doing everything right. The rest of the world would certainly do well to sit up and take notice of the important lessons that this little African country has to offer!