Our work in Rwanda

A map of the world with the land in yellow and ocean in dark blue. A pin points to where Rwanda is on the map.

A map outline of Rwanda bordering Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Where is Rwanda?

Rwanda is a landlocked country in East Africa.

Our impact since 2019

Slide 1 of 3: 62,947 households have diversified their income through on and off-farm income-generating activities

Slide 2 of 3: 66,837 farmers have been trained in sustainable farming techniques

Slide 3 of 3: 88,102 families gained access to financial services through self-help groups

62,947 households have diversified their income through on and off-farm income-generating activities
66,837 farmers have been trained in sustainable farming techniques
88,102 families gained access to financial services through self-help groups

Overview

Following the devastation caused by the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis, impressive progress has been made in restoring and developing the country of Rwanda. However, almost 40 per cent of Rwanda's population are still living in poverty. Families can struggle to provide for their basic needs, face food shortages and have difficulty paying school fees and medical costs. Many are extremely vulnerable to natural disasters.

Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills, and this mountainous terrain makes farming challenging. In spite of this, 70 per cent of the population depends on agriculture as their main source of food and income.

Women are more likely than men to be living in poverty because harmful gender norms often prevent them from accessing formal employment, education and financial services. Other vulnerable groups, such as older people and people with disabilities, can struggle to access services and opportunities and be excluded from social and economic programmes within the community.

A Rwandan person with a light-colored shirt and a Rwandan person with a patterned headscarf stand with their arms around each other, looking out at a hilly landscape with trees and plants.

Telesphore and Primitive look out over Gisagara district, southern Rwanda. After years of family conflict they now live in peace after counselling and reconciliation provided by Tearfund's local partner. Credit: Marcus Perkins/Tearfund

Our work in Rwanda

Tearfund has been working in Rwanda since 1968. We currently work in 12 districts across the Southern and Eastern provinces and in Kigali, through a network of local churches.

Our vision is to see local churches become centres of transformation that address the social, economic, and spiritual needs of the most vulnerable in their communities. To date, we have equipped 2,000 local churches and aim to reach 4,500 local churches by 2027.

By mobilising local churches and delivering high quality programmes with local partners, we’re addressing:

economic empowerment
sustainable and productive agriculture
micro-enterprise development
climate justice
gender equality and social inclusion
disaster preparedness and response

Economic empowerment

We train communities to form self-help groups for people to save and lend money to each other. Through this, people increase their finances, develop a support network, and can start small businesses. We train groups in entrepreneurship and connect them with financial service providers to grow their businesses. To date, more than 125,000 individuals are members of a self-help group and are pursuing income-generating activities.

Sustainable livelihoods

Agriculture is a significant opportunity for people in Rwanda to develop their livelihood. With improved knowledge and skills, agriculture can transform people’s lives, providing increased income and better nutrition for families.

Tearfund trains farmers in sustainable farming practices to increase crop yields, access domestic and international markets, and take pride in agriculture as a profitable, sustainable business.

Environmental restoration

Rwanda is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Tearfund equips individuals, churches and communities with skills and techniques to adapt to a changing climate and improve their environmental sustainability. This includes practices such as agroforestry, soil erosion control, water conservation, solar-powered irrigation and improved waste management.

We equip local churches to take action, empower communities in locally-led environmental restoration efforts, and support the most vulnerable to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.

Social inclusion

Our work prioritises women and the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and the elderly. Our approach addresses people’s social, economical and spiritual needs. Through increased skills, knowledge and access to technology, women and other vulnerable groups can develop themselves economically, grow in confidence and challenge gender stereotypes and norms.

Sexual and gender-based violence affects one in three girls and women in Rwanda. We are using our Transforming Masculinities programme to challenge harmful social norms and promote gender equality within families and communities.

Disaster response

We help communities prepare for disasters. We do this by establishing dedicated savings funds for disasters, training local leaders and church leaders in disaster management and working with communities to develop disaster response plans.

When crises happen, we respond quickly to address the needs and provide essential items including food, hygiene kits and water filters.

A Rwandan woman sits at a sewing machine. Other people are seated at sewing machines in the background

A tailoring self-help group provides a useful means of generating income for this group of women in Huye, Rwanda. Credit: Pete Dawson/Tearfund

We rely on the generosity of people like you to fund our projects around the world.

Please donate

Pray for Rwanda

For those in Rwanda who are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and economic hardship. Ask God to bless our local partners’ efforts to provide sustainable livelihoods and build resilience within communities.
For wisdom and provision for those working to improve farming practices and ensure food security. Pray for protection against the effects of climate change.
For the strength and wellbeing of communities of Rwanda. Ask God for unity and mutual support, strong and healthy relationships within families and neighbourhoods, and for opportunities for all to thrive.
For the Rwanda team’s ambition that 4,500 local churches in Rwanda will be centers of transformation within their communities by 2027. Equip church leaders with wisdom and compassion so that they may be effective in addressing the needs of people of all faiths and none in their communities.

Partnerships and funding

Our partners and institutional donors play a vital part in Tearfund's work around the world. They enable us to reach more people, encourage us to innovate, connect us with other organisations, and allow us to provide both short and long-term support to vulnerable communities.

Scottish Government

Since 2012, Tearfund has supported more than 67,000 people with several different initiatives funded by the Scottish Government, including projects focused on climate change adaptation, access to clean water, disaster risk reduction and agricultural and livelihood development.

European Union

Tearfund is working with the European Union to support smallholder farmers improve their productivity and incomes so that they can provide their families with the basics of life such as food, health insurance and education. With local partner African Evangelist Enterprise (AEE), we have trained 30,000 farmers to grow and develop businesses in horticultural crops including french beans and chilli. A second project with local partner Association Mwana Ukunda is improving food security and nutrition for families.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

With funding from the FCDO, Tearfund is enabling locally-led environmental restoration in communities impacted by climate change. In southern Rwanda, communities are facing land degradation, soil erosion and deforestation. Tearfund is empowering communities, and women in particular, with skills and knowledge to implement nature-based solutions to restore the environment and increase their ability to cope with a changing climate.

Start Fund

Emergency funding from Start Fund enabled Tearfund to respond to the volcanic eruption of May 2021, the flooding disasters of May 2023 and the influx of Congolese refugees and displaced Rwandans in January 2025.

Tearfund provided:

clean water, sanitation and hygiene support
food
non-food items
cash assistance

USAID has supported our work in sexual reproductive health with faith leaders and communities to address harmful social norms and stereotypes, reduce gender based violence and empower women.