Mama Tereza Kamugisha Témoin de la foi face à la diversité des cultures aux débuts du christianisme au Rwanda

Abstract

Mother Thérèse Kamugisha was the first superior of the Benebikira Sisters (1953-1964). She was a model for knowledge and respect for her culture, without devaluing others. Indeed, her deep faith made her faithful to both her Christian life and religious commitments. In practice, she is a promoter of female school and family education. She encourages her sisters to learn various vocational skills to promote the contribution of Rwandans, especially girls, and women, to socioeconomic development. She goes very far by founding female schools like Nyanza, Byimana, Save and Rulindo in order to have a trained Mwenebikira and the woman in her neighborhood promoted. She did not doubt sending her sisters to study abroad, in France, Belgium, which was not done frequently during her time. She was also a forerunner of practitioners and academics of intercultural education in Rwanda. She bequeathed to the Benebikira and society her work, “Ubunyarwanda n‘Ubukristu, Ubukristu n‘Ubunyarwanda, Rwandan Cultural Identity, and Christian Identity” a lesson in true faith, which reconciles the gospel with culture: to be Rwandan and Christian inseparably. Her concern extended not only to women and religious but also to all other people without distinction, hence the search for unity in diversity.