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Overall, poverty in Rwanda is declining since the devastating genocide in 1994. But millions still struggle to meet their daily needs and close to a third of the population don’t have access to basic sanitation services. Around 45 per cent of the population are under 18-years-old, making it even more critical to help Rwandan children break the cycle of poverty.
Compassion has worked with local church partners in Rwanda to serve children in poverty for more than four decades. Our holistic child development program works to address the unique needs of registered children through individual care and attention, spiritual guidance, nutrition, healthcare, education and social support.
Watch the video update below to learn more about our church partners in Rwanda.
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Thank you for praying for the children, families and local churches in Rwanda we serve.
What happens when the only source of food is snatched away by unforeseen circumstances? In the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Rachel lost her income, unable to sell pots and charcoal stoves in the market. Read more open_in_new
Please note: Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, some child development centres in Rwanda may be temporarily unable to host large group activities. Our local church partners continue to meet the holistic needs of registered children through smaller group activities or home-based care.
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Rwanda typically attend program activities at their local child development centre on Saturdays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Rwanda.
9:00am - A time of prayer and devotion. Children are given porridge in the morning for breakfast before starting the first lesson.
10:30am - Break time when children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
11:00am - Social-emotional lessons ranging from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem and a godly character. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.
12:00pm - Lunch and social time. The children receive a full meal for lunch which usually consists of rice, posho (a common East African dish made with cornmeal) or Irish potatoes with beans and green vegetables.
1:00pm - Health lessons, in which children learn practical health and hygiene tips. Example topics include how to prevent malaria and HIV transmission.
2:00pm - Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests and set goals for their future.
In addition to Compassion’s curriculum, children in Rwanda are also introduced to Rwandan national values such as self-identity, loving their country, unity, reconciliation and striving toward self-reliance. Many centres teach Rwandan cultural dance as a way of maintaining and owning Rwandan culture.
Older students receive vocational skills training in areas like computer training, carpentry, motor vehicle repair, dressmaking, cooking and hairdressing.
of people are experiencing multidimensional poverty
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
lack access to basic sanitation services
Despite its small size, Rwanda is one of the most densely populated African nations. Known as the ‘land of a thousand hills’, the country’s breathtaking mountainous terrain is also home to the endangered mountain gorilla. Rwanda’s environmental conservation efforts are robust and include a plastic-bag ban in place since 2008.
More than two decades after a devastating genocide, Rwanda is making progress in the fight against poverty. But millions still struggle to meet their daily needs—and the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the global food crisis threatens many more.
A history of ethnic tension culminated in the devastating genocide of 1994, in which more than 800,000 people were killed. In the aftermath, many millions more found themselves pushed into poverty and struggling to meet their basic needs. In the decades since, Rwanda has instituted reconciliation measures to help bring healing and forgiveness between different ethnic groups in communities across the country. For many places, these measures have been successful and progress steady.
Agriculture counts for much of Rwanda’s economy. A recent focus on information and communications technology and a strong tourism sector have helped the economy to grow. From 2001 to 2014, these strong economic gains meant that the poverty rate dropped from 59 to 39 per cent (measured by the national poverty line). But that momentum plateaued between 2014 and 2017 and poverty has risen in the past few years.
President Paul Kagame was re-elected in August 2018, following an amendment to the constitution in December 2015 that allowed him to run for an unprecedented third seven-year term. While his admirers say he has done more than anyone to lift millions of Rwandans out of poverty, critics point to the suppression of criticism and the free press, violence against political opposition and a resurgent poverty rate.
For children in need, access to the basics of life—education, shelter, medical assistance, good nutrition and safe water—is difficult. It is these children that local churches are focused on as they serve their communities and live out the love of Jesus.
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Most classroom in Australia look fairly similar. Although they might be decorated differently, you can pretty much expect to see the same things—some desks, a board, and maybe some computers. But what about the classrooms of children in Compassion’s programs? We all know education varies across the world, but so do the classrooms! .. Read more