On my way to a meeting in Kigali I chanced upon the incredible cyclists from Team Rwanda practicing on the city’s gruelling hills. The sport took off in in Rwanda in 2007, when the national cycling team was established and since then the Tour du Rwanda has gained prominence internationally. The young team of cyclists—whose motto is “Team is team”—are seen as a symbol of the “new Rwanda.” Our fixer, Bana Didier, pointed out that most of the young men on the team are in their early twenties who belong to the generation after the genocide and represent a bright future for the country. “They are a symbol of hope, “ said Didier. “When they win, it’s a chance to see that sometimes there is hope. It means the country is growing up.”

-Neha Thirani Bagri