Catalyst Rwanda

I have mentioned many times over that the boys of the center love hip-hop. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear music blasting from the stereo or see a group of boys working on their latest choreography. This week, a group called Catalyst Rwanda arrived at the center, bringing 130 T-shirts and their love of hip-hop and break dancing to share with the boys. This project has almost been a year in the making, starting with an old acquaintance of Rafiki’s who works as a cultural producer in the United Kingdom. Together, they hatched a dream to give the boys the opportunity to learn how to dance.

The boys showing the group their moves

ALL of the boys sporting their new "Live 2 Break" shirts

Yesterday, I witnessed 126 dreams come true. The boys spent the day practicing their dances to show this group their best moves. Everyone was introduced, the boys performed what they had prepared (donning neon green vests that appeared out of nowhere) and the boys eagerly awaited an example of what they would be learning over the next ten days. Brett, a filmmaker but also a breaker himself, gave the boys a few of his moves. What happened next was utter pandemonium. The boys, who had been sitting, jumped out of their seats and climbed on top of one another to get a better view. In the process of it all, a bench collapsed, but the boys could care less. They continued to hoot and yell in excitement. It was better than Christmas.

Pervez dancing for the boys

Catalyst Rwanda has their own blog, which they will be updating here in Rwanda. Check it out: http://catalystrwanda.org/

You can also follow Catalyst Rwanda on Facebook

Stay tuned for more updates!