CARE International’s history in Rwanda
CARE began working in Rwanda in 1984 at the invitation of the Government, initially supporting reforestation, environmental protection, and rural water systems. Many of these early investments are still in use today.
During and after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, CARE provided emergency relief and helped communities recover, including vulnerable children and families.
Since the early 2000s, CARE Rwanda has expanded its work from emergency response to longer-term programs that support health, economic opportunity, and community resilience.
We helped introduce Village Savings and Loan Associations in Rwanda, which continue to play an important role in helping communities save money, start small businesses, and strengthen household incomes.
CARE and partners’ work in Rwanda today
Today, CARE Rwanda and our partners work closely with communities, civil society organizations, and government institutions to help with urgent and long-term needs. Our work aligns with national priorities, including Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation.
We focus on:
Health
We supports access to reproductive health services and reliable health information for women, girls, and families.
Making the economy work
CARE supports livelihoods, savings groups, and access to markets so women and young people can earn stable incomes and grow small businesses.
This includes national initiatives such as Closing the Financial Inclusion Gap in Rwanda (CFIGR) 2019–2022, developed with government partners to expand financial services, and Supporting and Enhancing Resilient and Viable Employment Opportunities (SERVE) 2023–2027, which focuses on creating jobs and improving access to markets for young people.
Climate
CARE supports communities to manage natural resources and adapt to climate change impacts that particularly affect those working in rural activities, such as farming.
Gender equality
We work with partners to prevent violence against women and girls, strengthen women’s leadership, and help increase women’s access to economic opportunities.
Focus on women and girls
Women and girls are at the centre of CARE Rwanda’s work.
CARE supports women and girls to:
- Build economic independence through savings, livelihoods, and market opportunities
- Live free from violence and discrimination
- Access reliable reproductive health information and services
- Take on leadership roles in households and communities
Through programs such as Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWEP) and broader women’s economic empowerment initiatives, CARE Rwanda works to ensure women and girls are leaders of change in their families and communities.
Women-led and women’s rights organizations partners are key to this work, including Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe (PFTH) and the Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre Africa (RWAMREC).
For recent updates on CARE’s Rwanda work, see here.
