Rwanda is a small country in central Africa. It is often called “Land of a Thousand Hills”; a name reflecting the beautiful green grassy uplands and hills that span the majority of the country. The climate is generally mild throughout the year, and includes two “rainy seasons”. Rwanda is a poor rural country, the most densely populated country in Africa, and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry opportunity. Ninety percent of the population engages in agriculture for their living. Primary exports are coffee and tea, while the diet of Rwanda includes bananas, sorghum, potatoes, and bread as daily staples. Life expectancy at birth is 39.18 years, according to the “World Fact Book”. The incidence of HIV/AIDS is difficult to estimate, with various numbers cited by different people, but approximately 12-14% of the population is HIV positive.

Rwanda has a long and recent history of problems between their two major ethnic groups: Hutu and Tutsi. Unlike tribes in many African countries, the Hutu and Tutsi speak the same language, live by the same culture, and have both always occupied all areas of the country. However, tensions between these groups culminated over the years to a breaking point in 1994, with the genocide of approximately 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus in the span of only three months.

A national Trauma Survey by Unicef in 1995 estimated the percentages of children affected as follows: