Author and singer Divine
Gashugi, widely known as Tete Loeper, has revealed that her latest book Shut Up and Hide was inspired by her
children’s questions about her harrowing experiences during the 1994 Genocide
against the Tutsi, during which she lost six siblings and other extended family
members.
Currently in Rwanda to
officially launch the book, Tete explained in an interview with InyaRwanda that the idea for the book
was born out of the challenging conversations she had with her children, who
were growing up in Germany and struggled to grasp the reality and origins of
the genocide.
She said, “My children
would ask me: ‘Who were the people who came to kill your family? Why did they
kill them?’ You know, they were still little kids, growing up in Germany, and
they couldn’t comprehend it. I tried to explain: ‘They were people like anyone
else, like a neighbor here who decides to kill others’—but I could see they
couldn’t really understand.”
Beyond her children, Tete
also encountered many Europeans who showed signs of genocide denial or
distortion, further motivating her to become a voice of truth as a Rwandan
mother raising children abroad.
“It made me realize that
it was my responsibility to write this story,” she added. “Because if I don’t
write my truth, someone else might write that history the wrong way—and our
children would learn it in a version I don’t agree with. If I stayed silent,
I’d be doing them a disservice.”
In Shut Up and Hide, Tete reflects on
her childhood, recounting what it was like to experience the genocide
firsthand. She remembers a time of playing and laughing with friends—only for
everything to collapse in an instant. Her family, safety, and entire world were
torn apart.
She describes being
hidden in sorghum fields by her mother while Interahamwe militias carried out atrocities in a campaign to
exterminate the Tutsi. Through the eyes of a child, Tete paints a vivid picture
of cruelty, fear, and the fragile line between death and survival.
Amidst terror, she also
recalls moments of courage and deep love—particularly from her mother—that
helped her endure. Her story is one of loss, vulnerability, and the long,
painful journey to healing. It stands as a powerful testament to the importance
of remembrance and the bravery of survivors.
Born in Rwanda in 1990,
Tete Loeper survived the genocide as a young child, later passing through
refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Today, she is an
author, communication strategist, and social entrepreneur committed to
sustainable development.
She studied Journalism
and Communication, focusing on peacebuilding and civic education. Her work
revolves around themes like forced displacement, social justice, anti-racism,
impactful advocacy, gender equity, and historical healing.
Tete is the founder of SISI (Sisters for Sustainable Impact),
an NGO that empowers rural women through reproductive health education,
agriculture, and financial literacy. She also serves on the board of The Grey Stories e.V., a nonprofit
connecting artists from Germany, Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Burundi.
Though based in Germany, Tete continues to engage in international projects. She is fluent in Kinyarwanda, French, English, and German.
Tete Loeper is back in Rwanda to launch her powerful new book, Shut Up and Hide, which recounts her personal journey through the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi
“I wrote this book so that my children would know the truth about my past—instead of learning a distorted version,” — Tete Loeper
In Shut Up and Hide, Tete shares the gripping story of a child who witnessed the Genocide with her own eyes, hidden by her mother in sorghum fields
Tete says encountering Genocide denial in Europe made her realize that telling her own story was not a choice—but a duty
Beyond being a writer, Tete Loeper is also a co-founder of Sisters for Sustainable Impact, a project empowering rural women through development
“Fear
and sorrow were everywhere—but we were saved by my mother’s love and her
unshakable hope,” — from Shut Up and
Hide
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HERE to watch our exclusive interview with Tete Loeper