Home Address:13 SH4 Ave. Huye, Rwanda                       

         Phone:+250 788351234

         E-Mail: ksasak[email protected]

        Date of Birth:16^th December 1965

         Nationality:Japanese 

          EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

                 July 2010      PhD in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford, Bradford, UK.

                                     PhD. Thesis: Sasaki, K. (2011). Beyond dichotomies: The quest for justice and reconciliation and the politics of national identity building in post-genocide Rwanda, the University of Bradford, UK. (Supervisor: Prof. Donna Pankhurst / Examiner: Prof. Nigel Eltringham) Available from https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/4891

         July 2002      Postgraduate Diploma in Research Methods with Distinctions from the University of Bradford.

       January 1996    Master of Professional Studies in Agriculture (International Agriculture and Rural Development) from Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.  

                             Project Report: Sasaki, K. (1996). Constraints on the Practice of Participatory Rural Appraisal in Rural Ethiopia: Learning from an NGO’s Experience, Cornell University, USA.

         March 1988     Bachelor of Agriculture from Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.

WORK EXPERIENCE

More than 35 years of experience in the field of international development and peacebuilding.

More than 28 years of flied-based experience in Africa as a resident in Rwanda (October 2005 – present) and Ethiopia (July 1988- February 1992 and March 1996- June 2000).

Nov. 2020 – present        Associate Professor, the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, the Faculty of Development Studies,

                                         the Protestant University of Rwanda (PUR), Huye, Rwanda.

Jan. 2015 – present        Coordinator, the Centre for Research and Action towards Sustainable Peace and Development (CRASPD), 

                                        PUR. Coordinated trainings in nonviolent conflict transformation for students and practitioners, a project supporting a women’s association composed of genocide survivors and women whose husbands are imprisoned for genocide crimes. The Centre will soon launch a GIZ-funded project to build capacities of peacebuilding NGOs in Rwanda, eastern DRC and Burundi.  

Jan. 2011 – Oct. 2020     Senior Lecturer, the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, the Faculty of Development Studies, PIASS. Played a pivotal role in the development of a bachelor’s degree programme in peace studies at PIASS, the first of its kind in Rwanda. The department currently hosts students from 10 African countries.  

Oct. 2005 – Dec. 2010    Programme Officer in charge of Restorative Justice and Reconciliation Programme, REACH Organization, Kigali, Rwanda.  

                                        Played a pivotal role in the development of projects to facilitate community-based reconciliation through restorative justice initiatives in Kirehe and Bugesera districts.

Jan. 2003 – June 2004    Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK

Oct. 1998 – June 2000    Co-director of Programmes, Food for the Hungry International/Ethiopia (FHI/E), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

                                        Managed four integrated rural development projects in Ethiopia, funded by several donors including UK Department for International Development (DFID) and US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Mar. 1996 – Sep. 1998    Social Development Coordinator, FHI/E, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Coordinated planning, monitoring and evaluation and staff training in social and organizational aspects of FHI/E’s projects.

Mar. 1992 – Apr. 1993        Desk Officer, Japan International Food for the Hungry (JIFH), Tokyo, Japan

                                            Monitored JIFH funded projects in countries in Africa.

July 1988 – Feb. 1992    Agricultural Development Project Coordinator, FHI/E, Simada/Cheha/Alaba, Ethiopia. Coordinated agricultural components of FHI/E’s integrated rural development projects in three regions of Ethiopia.

AREAS OF SPECIALISATION

Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding: conflict management within the organization; transitional justice mechanisms; dialogue and reconciliation processes; restorative justice in peacebuilding.

Community Development and NGO Management: capacity building of NGOs and community-based organizations; strategic planning for nonprofit organizations; participatory research and evaluation methods.

Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development: rural development project planning and management; political economy of sustainable agriculture.

 

PUBLICATIONS

Sasaki, K. (2023). An unending journey toward reconciliation: Reflections on an Intensive Course on 'Reconciliation' in Rwanda. Gospel and the World (Fukuin to Sekai), 78(5), 18-23. (written in Japanese) ISBN-13: 4910077290531

Sasaki, K. (2023). Reconciliation process in Rwanda. In Japan Peace Studies Association (ed), Encyclopaedia of Peace Studies. Tokyo: Maruzen Publishing (written in Japanese) ISBN‑13：978‑4‑621‑30808‑0

Sasaki, K. (2021). Challenges Faced by Refugees during the COVID-19 Crisis in Rwanda. Africa Report 59, 10-16. (written in Japanese)

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/africareport/59/0/59_10/_article/-char/ja/

Sasaki, K. & Muvunyi, S. (2021). Constraints to adoption and scaling-up of conservation agriculture in Rwanda: Smallholder farmers’ perspectives. ASC-TUFS Working Papers 2020. Tokyo: African Studies Center – Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ascwp/1/0/1_119/_article

Sasaki, K. & Muvunyi, S. (2019). Gacaca justice: The challenge of economic reparation in post-genocide Rwanda. In T. Gatwa and D. Mbonyinkebe (Eds). Home-grown solutions: A legacy to generations in Africa, Vol. 1 (pp. 143-165). Yaounde: Globethics.net, CLE Éditions.

Sasaki, K. (2016). The Gacaca experiment of reconciling justice: Rwandan genocide and transitional justice. In M. Endo (Ed.), Beyond Armed Conflict: Contested Institutions and Strategies (pp. 265-294). Kyoto: Kyoto University Press. (written in Japanese). ISBN‑13: 978‑4814000067

Sasaki, K. (2015). Hate speech and genocide. RAIK Newsletter, 148, 2-6. (written in Japanese).　

Sasaki, K. (2012). Conceptualising reconciliation in post-violence peacebuilding. In Reconciliation processes in Rwanda: Potentials and limitations (pp.7-31), PIASS publication series No.2. Butare: Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences

Sasaki, K. & Bayisenge, F. (2012). Community service for reinforcing reconciliation: Perspectives on Rwanda’s TIG programme. In Public reforms in Rwanda (pp. 72-102), PIASS publication No.1.  Butare: Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS)

Sasaki, K. (2012). Responsibility for and reconciliation after the genocide in Rwanda. Cyukiren, 49, 53－63 (written in Japanese).

Sasaki, K. (2010). Under the banner of unity and reconciliation: Justice, reconciliation and the politics of national identity building in post-genocide Rwanda. Green Cooperation for Peace and Life: Proceedings of the 2010 DMZ Peace Congress. Seoul, 12-14 August 2010 (pp. 113-140).

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

Sasaki, K. & Muvunyi, S. (24 July 2017). Gacaca Justice: The challenge of economic reparation in post-genocide Rwanda. Paper presented at the 6^th PIASS Scientific Week, July 23-25, 2017, Huye, Rwanda. 

Sasaki, K. (21 July 2014). Coexistence and reconciliation after genocide and other mass atrocities: The case of rural communities in Rwanda. Paper presented at the Research Conference of Japan Peace Studies Association at Kangawa University, Yokohama, Japan.

Sasaki, K. (10 November 2013). Policy of remembrance and reconciliation after genocide: A case of Rwanda. Paper presented at the Research Conference of Peace Studies Association of Japan at Meijigakuin University, Tokyo, Japan.

Sasaki, K. (30 October 2011). Transitional justice in post-genocide Rwanda: Contributions of community-based Gacaca justice to reconciliation. Paper presented at the Research Conference of Japan Peace Studies Association at Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan.

CONSULTANCE REPORTS

Training workshop report: Training for constructive conflict management, peacebuilding and reconciliation for Ngoma CDP and Runda CDP of Good Neighbors – Rwanda (February 2017).

Report on research, training and consultancy activities for enhancing peace and conflict sensitivity in Good Neighbors International’s Rwanda Programme (February 2016).

ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

l  Peace Studies Association of Japan

l  Japan Association for African Studies

LANGUAGES

English	Japanese	Amharic	Kinyarwanda
Fluent	Native	Fluent	Intermediate