An interview with Jürgen W. Debus, former President of the Partnership Rhineland-Palatinate - Rwanda.

Mr. Debus, Rhineland-Palatinate's partnership with Rwanda is considered exemplary. Could you please explain how this particular model of a partnership came into existence and how the program evolved?

The partnership between Rhineland-Palatinate and Rwanda results, on the one hand, from different reflections made upon the first development policy crisis during the seventies. On the other hand, the program is an achievement by a few NGOs, in particular religous ones such as „Bread for the World“ („Brot für die Welt“), „Misereor“ or „Freedom from Hunger Campaign for Development“ („Welthungerhilfe“), who adopted the concept of a „bottom-up development“. Thus, in 1982, the so-called „grassroots partnership“ was founded, which is a decentralized partnership between people and groups in both countries, in contrast to programs between governmental institutions.