FINDING joy:
Inzozi Nziza means "Sweet Dreams" in Kinyarwanda. This ice cream parlour - Rwanda's first-ever - is the brainchild of WCC's Director, Kiki Katese. It was created through a partnership between the owners of an American ice cream business - Blue Marble Ice Cream - and the women drummers in Butare. It is a for-profit enterprise, developed as a women's economic empowerment initiative. The ice cream is made on-site with local milk, sugar and other ingredients. And it's delicious! Also on the menu are Rwandan chapatis (with local avocado), muffins, cookies, fruit juices, Rwandan preservative-free beer and other treats.
Blue Marble’s founders, Jennie Dundas and Alexis Miesen, met Kiki at the Sundance Institute in the USA. Hearing about their work, Kiki proposed an idea: while conventional development initiatives are vital to Rwanda’s physical well-being, there remains a need for efforts that boost the spirit of its people. Just as much as they need nutritious food and clean water, Kiki asserted, Rwandans need fun, joy, pleasure and laughter, as these are the ingredients of a life truly lived. And what better way to meet this need than through the sweet, symbolic magic of ice cream?
“Because we struggle most of the time, we also find ourselves aggressive against happiness, love, joy, life. When we have children, we teach them that happiness doesn’t exist, that there is no pure love and, as legacy, we give them our despair, our debts, our doubts, our tears, our failures.
Rwandan women … want to reshape life in its simple and sweetest form. We want to share moments that are not embossed by despair and death… We want to create a space where poverty, disease, illiteracy… are not obstacles to happiness and barriers between human beings… We have to, for the sake of the health of our soul. The ice cream will have the power to reconcile people with life by providing privileged moments when life reminds them that it is also sweet.” - Kiki Katese
Blue Marble’s founders, Jennie Dundas and Alexis Miesen, met Kiki at the Sundance Institute in the USA. Hearing about their work, Kiki proposed an idea: while conventional development initiatives are vital to Rwanda’s physical well-being, there remains a need for efforts that boost the spirit of its people. Just as much as they need nutritious food and clean water, Kiki asserted, Rwandans need fun, joy, pleasure and laughter, as these are the ingredients of a life truly lived. And what better way to meet this need than through the sweet, symbolic magic of ice cream?
“Because we struggle most of the time, we also find ourselves aggressive against happiness, love, joy, life. When we have children, we teach them that happiness doesn’t exist, that there is no pure love and, as legacy, we give them our despair, our debts, our doubts, our tears, our failures.
Rwandan women … want to reshape life in its simple and sweetest form. We want to share moments that are not embossed by despair and death… We want to create a space where poverty, disease, illiteracy… are not obstacles to happiness and barriers between human beings… We have to, for the sake of the health of our soul. The ice cream will have the power to reconcile people with life by providing privileged moments when life reminds them that it is also sweet.” - Kiki Katese
SWEET DREAMS: THe documentary
In 2012, American documentary sibling filmmakers Lisa Fruchtman and Rob Fruchtman made a film about the women drummers and the ice cream shop that provides them with a measure of financial independence: Sweet Dreams, the Documentary.
Sweet Dreams: Website for the Documentary
Al Jazeera: Sweet Dreams article
New York Times: Sweet Dreams review
Los Angeles Times: Sweet Dreams review
Variety: Sweet Dreams review
Hollywoood Reporter: Sweet Dreams review
Women You Should Know: Sweet Dreams article
Sweet Dreams: Website for the Documentary
Al Jazeera: Sweet Dreams article
New York Times: Sweet Dreams review
Los Angeles Times: Sweet Dreams review
Variety: Sweet Dreams review
Hollywoood Reporter: Sweet Dreams review
Women You Should Know: Sweet Dreams article
Inzozi nziza: PRESS
The Guardian UK: Sweet dreams: Rwandan women whip up popular ice-cream business
NPR (USA): How Rwanda's Only Ice Cream Shop Challenges Cultural Taboos
Huffington Post (USA): These Women Are Breaking Gender Barriers At Rwanda's 1st Female-Run Ice Cream Parlor
Inter Press Service: Sweet Dreams are Made of Rwandan Ice Cream
NPR (USA): How Rwanda's Only Ice Cream Shop Challenges Cultural Taboos
Huffington Post (USA): These Women Are Breaking Gender Barriers At Rwanda's 1st Female-Run Ice Cream Parlor
Inter Press Service: Sweet Dreams are Made of Rwandan Ice Cream