2026 Rwanda Delegation— Abijah Johnson
Environmental Geography, Indigenous Studies, GIS Geospatial Techniques ‘27
Muraho! My name is Abijah “Abi” Johnson. I am traveling to Rwanda to not just expand my academic goals, from delving into topics such as reducing a country's carbon emissions, to understanding how a country respects the rights, needs, and values of the people, but also to grow personally. This journey is about learning what it means to forgive without forgetting. Rwanda offers a powerful example to the world: that it is possible to heal through remembrance, to honor the past while still moving forward with unity, commemoration, and even celebration.
As a steward of the earth, I am especially interested in how Rwanda balances sustainability with rapid development. How does a nation rebuild not only its social fabric, but also its relationship with the land? What lessons can be learned from its environmental policies, conservation efforts, and community-centered approaches to growth? These are questions I hope to explore on the ground, connecting classroom knowledge to lived experience.
Beyond academics, this experience evokes something deeper for me. It is an opportunity to reflect, listen, and understand resilience in a way that cannot be captured through textbooks alone. I hope to return not just with new knowledge, but with a transformed perspective; one that I can carry into my future work and share with my community.
Murakoze Cyane
Abijah OJC Johnson
The Thinker, The Doer
Steward of The Earth