The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think of Rwanda is genocide. After 12 years of mending, rebuilding, and finding new value in the traditions and natural beauty of the land, the Rwanda you see today is very different from what you heard about in the 1990s.
You will be amazed by the impressive volcanoes, dense tropical forests, and the largest number anywhere of endangered mountain gorillas, 670 species of bird, and over 100 species of orchid. Not to mention its rich cultural heritage dating back to the pygmoid hunter-gatherers living there over 2000 years ago. French, Kinyarwanda, and English are all official languages, but a greeting in Kinyarwanda will go down especially well.
Popular Projects
Help out in Rwanda by mentoring children, teaching English or assisting with patient consultations in the Medical project. You can also take part in income generating activities and education workshops to improve the situation of local women.
Childcare
The after effects of genocide lead to thousands upon thousands of children homeless and forced to live in orphanages. A high percentage of these children have also lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. As a volunteer you will take on the role of an older sibling and be involved in daily care activities which include feeding, teaching life skills, and playing with the children. You will work along side the house mothers to assist with teaching, homework help, childcare, and the daily operational running of the home. Volunteers are also encouraged to initiate their own work by organizing arts and crafts, music, dance, games, and sports activities for the children. This role is suitable for a caring, motivated, and self-directed person who has a love for children and has childcare experience.
Literacy
The situation of schools in Rwanda is still unsatisfactory. Many of them lack books, scholastic and teaching materials, and school equipment. In fact, war and genocide caused heavy losses at the level of human and material resources as well as the decrease of the social capital. Estimates show that about 600 schools (almost a third of Rwanda’s schools) were destroyed and 3000 teachers killed.
What is more worrying is the fact that an important number of children do not attend school due to certain family chores and responsibility. Volunteers will work alongside local primary teachers to improve the level of English, math, health, hygiene, and science skills amongst students. Volunteers will also be involved in improving teachers’ levels of English.
Volunteers are not required to have a teaching qualification, but experience in subject areas like English, math, health, hygiene, science, and French would be advantageous. This program requires a one month minimum placement.
Medical
For volunteers with medical qualifications we have opportunities based in local clinics in Rwanda. Activities vary and will be dependent on your skills. Some activities you may be involved with are patient consultation, general nursing, family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, nutrition, dispensing medication and keeping patient records up to date.
There may be opportunities to assist within the HIV/AIDS department testing blood, providing ARV distribution, counselling, and education. There may also be the option to assist with home based care. This project is suited to those who have completed their studies and qualifications as either a nurse or doctor. Documentation of your medical school, nursing school, or other medical credentials will be required.
Volunteers for these projects require at least intermediate French as the staff they will work with have limited English.
Community Outreach
Feeding Program – Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist in the noon meal feeding program for local disadvantaged children at our partner organization premise. There is also a small-scale agriculture project on the premises to provide income for the Rwanda program – volunteers have the opportunity to be involved in agricultural/gardening activities to assist the program towards it’s goal of being self-sustainable by generating income.
Income Generating Activities – Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with local women’s associations in developing sustainable business activities to meet local demands. For example, one group has recently learnt to knit clothing to sell to local Rwandan people. Volunteers will spend time with these associations to better understand their lives and bring in new ideas in small-scale business opportunities. This project is volunteer initiatied; volunteers will need to be prepared to bring their own skills, experience and ideas to the program.
Education – Volunteers will have the opportunity to provide informal education opportunities for children, teenagers no longer in a position to attend school, and potentially different women’s groups. The focus will be on teaching English and helping with school work, but there may be an opportunity to introduce a wider range of topics and assist with classes that address issues affecting those in the community.
Where will I be located?
The program is based in the capital, Kigali in the Kigali Province. There are also rural placements in the Gisenyi District, which is approximately 175 kilometres from Kigali.
FAQ
What is the climate like in Rwanda?
Rwanda has two wet seasons and two dry seasons. The short wet season lasts from October to November, and the main rainy season lasts from mid-March to the end of May. Rainfall is heaviest in the west and decreases in the central uplands and to the north and east. Average annual precipitation in Kigali is 1,000 mm and average temperature is around 20 degrees celsius (70 degrees fahrenheit).
How to get to Rwanda?
International flights arrive into Kigali International Airport, 10km away from central Kigali. Volunteers will be asked to submit arrival details in advance so that airport pickup arrangements can be made.
What is the accommodation like
Volunteers will be accommodated in a guesthouse – there is one guesthouse in Kigali and one in Gisenyi. In most cases volunteers will share a room with another volunteer. The accommodation may be quite different from the comforts you would normally expect, particularly in Gisenyi, which is a rural area.
What immunizations/vaccinations will I need?
This is a suggestion of what may be needed – please consult with your medical professional or travel specialist for more details.
Diphtheria and tetanus
Polio
Hepatitis A & B
Typhoid
Yellow Fever – a certificate proving you have had this should be shown at the airport on arrival
Rabies
Tuberculosis
Malaria (needs to be closely discussed with doctor)
Some of these can be taken in oral form so please discuss with your doctor to see what is best for you. Some people can be affected quite differently to others by medication.
Do I need to speak English to volunteer?
Yes, you need to speak English to volunteer, but you do not necessarily have to be a native speaker. Rwanda’s three official languages are Kinyarwanda, French, and English. Swahili is also widely spoken. For the Literacy and French programs an intermediate-level knowledge of French is required. It is also useful for volunteers to have a working knowledge of Kinyarwanda, especially outside the urban areas and in remote parts of the country.
How safe is it to volunteer in Rwanda?
The people of Rwanda are warm and friendly, especially towards foreigners, so volunteers will feel safe and very welcome.
Are we able to do any sightseeing?
Volunteers are welcome to take short breaks during their volunteer time. We recognize that volunteering can be quite intensive. There are often other volunteers who also want to do sight-seeing. You may like to meet up with other volunteers and join in local festivities and explore your local surroundings. Safaris and gorilla trekking are popular activities for many volunteers. We ask that if you wish to take a break from volunteering that you give our partner organization advanced notice. They may even have some good advice for you about where to visit.
Who organizes my visa for my volunteer placement?
Volunteers will need to arrange their own visa. Nationals of the following countries may visit Rwanda without a visa for a period of 90 days: USA, Germany, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, UK, Sweden, and Hong Kong. For those volunteers from countries not listed above, you will need to apply for a visa at your nearest Rwandan Embassy. In the case of volunteers coming from countries where Rwanda does not have an Embassy, volunteers will need to request for an entry facility; this can be done online. The cost of a tourist visa is US$60 (single-entry, up to three months).
Volunteer Feedback
“Volunteering in Rwanda was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time there. While placed in the Community Outreach Program, I traveled from Kigali (the capital) to Gisenyi– a town in the western part of the country boarding the DRC and on the magnificent Lake Kivu. Many cooperatives of women have formed in Gisenyi making art and craft to generate income. The women in these co-ops are among the most talented and strong I have ever met–and I hope to return one day and visit with them again. While in America I try to continue selling their handmade paper-beads–coordinating the shipping of the beads and payment is not always the easiest, but it is well worth it! Volunteers have the option to continue to provide their support after they have returned home through a variety of avenues. My avenues are the paperbeads and sponsoring a Rwandan student’s education. Because Rwanda gave so much to me, I want to keep giving back!” – Amanda
“My time here in Rwanda is almost complete and I have to be perfectly honest and say that I never want to leave. My work here has ranged from daily feeding the disabled street people around Gisenyi, working in the orphanage (I say working but mostly jumping around like a big kid), and I have also had the opportunity to work in the rural clinic educating the patients on HIV, its causes and treatment, I have been assisting the nurses treating the patients and have also painted cartoon animals on the walls of the pre and neo – natal rooms. As far as community outreach is concerned, I have been working with victims of gender-based violence, giving them a microloan to establish their own cooperative and establishing a fund to pay for health insurance and secondary education for all their children. Rwanda is one of the most vibrant and welcoming countries I have ever visited and the Rwandese people, who are amongst the poorest in the world have a generosity which puts the west to shame.” – Grace
“As I entered my final year of university I wrestled with the decision of joining the workforce or fulfilling my life long dream of seeing the world. My decision was made and I set my compass to the world. Late one evening in mid-September, I stumbled off the plane in Kigali. I had already accomplished more than I could have imagined just 6 months earlier – my first time on an airplane and my first time transferring a flight at an international airport.
I was terrified all the mosquitoes had malaria, the airline would lose my baggage, and no one would be at the airport to claim me. But the GVN driver was there with a smile, my bags arrived without incident, and no mosquito bites. My fears were arrested. The house was clean, the food was warm, and my bed was already made. I was volunteering in the Literacy Program, in a rural town an hour past Kigali. Math was always my strong suit so I preferred teaching it to English. Together the students and I discovered fractions, geometry, and division among other lessons.
Three teachers in particular became my unofficial guides, teaching me local culture by day and showing me their beautiful country by night. At the volunteer house, the other 8 volunteers were my family, and the Rwandan caretakers made our house a home. Safari, the night life, traditional African songs sung by my students, and all within the borders of a vastly misunderstood country. My life was changed forever.” – Jordan Lopez
Things are going really well! I can’t believe the trip is already half over, it has been a blast. I have been working at the Githunguri Health Centre in the town of Githunguri. They have everything here from maternity services, to HIV counselling, to outpatient immunizations. I have been doing a variety of everything and have even had the opportunity to deliver a few babies. It’s been great. – Jessalyn