Kidnapped for Good: A Rwandan Tech Dream Turns Surreal
I’ve always had a soft spot for Kigali, Rwanda – a city that pulsates with hope and resilience. It was there, in the heart of this vibrant metropolis, that I found myself amid a most peculiar dream.
Walking along a bustling street, I was abruptly pulled into a van. Blindfolded and disoriented, I was whisked away to a remote location near the Congolese border. Surrounded by armed men, I was sure this was the end. But then, the leader emerged, not with a ransom demand, but a question: “Are you hungry?”
Confused, I tried to ascertain the reason for my abduction. Was it my recent visit to Kigali, where I had explored the possibility of starting a non-profit to empower women and youth with tech skills? Had word of my mission reached the wrong ears?
The leader’s response was both chilling and unexpected. “I don’t need your money,” he snarled. “I have plenty of it.”
He gestured towards a sprawling living room, incongruously filled with farm animals – pigs, sheep, goats – while a football match blared on the TV. It was a surreal scene that felt like a twisted fever dream.
“We want something else from you,” he continued. “We heard you’re here to teach technology. You’ll stay here for 30 days and train my ‘people’ on how to build startups.”
Was he kidnapped for a tech boot camp? It was ludicrous, yet strangely fitting.
I reluctantly agreed and soon immersed myself in teaching a makeshift class of aspiring entrepreneurs. Surprisingly, they were eager to learn, soaking up every bit of knowledge I shared about product management, entrepreneurship, and the power of technology.
The leader, a man I had initially feared, became an unexpected ally. He even pledged to provide seed funding for successful program graduates. Witnessing this hardened individual’s desire to empower his community through technology was a powerful reminder of the human capacity for change.
The dream ended abruptly, leaving me back in the familiar comfort of my bed. But the surreal experience lingered in my mind. It was a bizarre yet hopeful vision of a future where even the most unlikely characters could be catalysts for positive change.
The dream reminded me that the desire for knowledge and opportunity transcends boundaries and circumstances. It fueled my resolve to continue working towards empowering individuals through technology, no matter where they are or what their background may be.
After all, if a dream kidnapping can lead to the birth of a tech hub in a remote village, then perhaps anything is possible. Join the movement at www.global-impact-innovators.com
