GiveDirectly Rwanda

Across Rwanda, we have seen what can happen when people have the freedom to make their own decisions, to invest, build, grow, and move their families forward. A decade has brought us progress worth celebrating, and also asks, ‘how do we go further, faster?’ Because change should not only be measured by how far we have come, but by how much more becomes possible when we build on what works. That’s why, as we mark 10 years in Rwanda, we’re not slowing down. We are #AcceleratingChange.

At 66, Jean de Dieu from @MusanzeDistrict has spent years working to provide for his two sons and grandchildren, relying on small harvests that were rarely enough to meet all their needs. With an ageing kitchen, an unsafe latrine, and no electricity at home, even simple comforts were difficult to come by. But his greatest wish was to create a safer, more comfortable home for his family. Today, he has renovated his kitchen, built a safer latrine, and brought electricity into his home, allowing his grandchildren to read and study after dark. He has also invested in farmland to grow Irish potatoes and bought livestock to create additional income for his family. For him, these investments are about more than improving his living conditions. They are about giving his grandchildren a better place to grow, learn, and build their own futures. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

DID YOU KNOW THAT? 23,101 young adults have been part of the Habwa Wigire journey since 2023! Across Rwanda, these young people are pursuing their goals, exploring new opportunities, and taking meaningful steps toward greater independence. Each journey is different, but they all reflect the power of young people to shape their own futures. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

Meet Athanasie from @NyanzaDistrict, a businesswoman building a better life on her own terms. Today, she runs her shop with pride, serving customers and earning an income. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

TIMELINE 2022: In 2022, Francine from @GisagaraDistr faced a daily challenge that had become increasingly difficult with age: accessing clean water. She had to walk two kilometres to a public water point, often waiting in long queues before making the journey home. Carrying heavy containers was too much for her, and the small amount of water she could carry was rarely enough for her daily needs. When Francine received her cash transfer, she made a decision that brought her long-awaited relief. She installed a water pipeline directly to her home, giving her easy access to clean water and freeing her from the exhausting daily journeys. She also invested in a goat, renovated her home's walls and roof, and installed solar power to light her house and charge her phone. For Francine, these investments meant more than improving her home. They meant greater comfort, independence, and the freedom to enjoy her later years with dignity and peace of mind. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

At 24, Dieudonne from @MusanzeDistrict had completed his training in car mechanics but struggled to find a job. Depending on his parents for his everyday needs was difficult, and he longed for the chance to earn a living on his own. Determined to change his situation, he tried starting a garlic business, but when it didn't bring the returns he hoped for, he decided to pursue something different. Today, he has invested in poultry farming, raising more than 80 chickens with plans to earn an income from selling eggs. He hopes to expand3 his flock, reinvest his earnings, and eventually build a home of his own. What began as a search for employment is now becoming a journey toward financial independence, shaped by his determination to create opportunities for himself. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

DID YOU KNOW THAT? In @MusanzeDistrict, 77% of recipients’ average spending went toward productive investments. From buying livestock and investing in agriculture to starting and growing businesses, recipients are making choices that create new opportunities for themselves and their families. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

"I no longer do casual farm work, but instead, people come to me looking for jobs." – Karemera from @nyanzadistrict #AcceleratingChange #GD10

TIMELINE 2020: In 2020, Josephine from @RusiziDistrict relied on selling fish to support their three children on an island along Lake Kivu. When COVID-19 brought their business to a halt, their savings ran out, leaving them struggling to feed their family and sometimes depending on neighbours for food. When Josephine's family received their cash transfer, she invested in a boat and began buying and selling fish again. With the profits, she gradually expanded into a small shop selling food and everyday essentials, creating another source of income for her family. She also repaid her loan and started saving regularly, preparing for whatever challenges might come next. For Josephine, what began with a boat became more than a business. It became a way to provide for her children, regain financial stability, and build a future with greater security and peace of mind. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

Highlights from the Habwa Wigire Social Registry Integration launch in @Nyamasheke. Hear from local leaders and community members as we walk through how the program works and what it means for the communities it aims to reach. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

Another milestone as we officially launched the Habwa Wigire Social Registry Integration in @Nyamasheke! This marks another step in connecting communities with opportunities, while working alongside local leaders to ensure residents understand the program and how it can support them. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

After finishing high school, Esther from @rusizidistrict dreamed of continuing her education, but university was beyond what her family could afford. Instead, she walked nearly two hours to find casual farm work, earning barely enough to meet her daily needs. Still, she held on to her ambition of starting a business and learning a skill she loved. Today, she runs her own mobile money business, earning a steady income, and has enrolled in a sewing course to turn her passion into another source of income. She can now meet her needs, invest in her future, and even support her family. What once felt like a future filled with limited opportunities is now becoming one shaped by her own choices, ambitions, and growing independence. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

DID YOU KNOW THAT? Since 2023, GiveDirectly Rwanda has reached 1,127 teen mothers through the Habwa Wigire program. Behind this number are young women making their own choices, investing in their ambitions, and creating new opportunities for themselves and their children. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

On October 15, as part of our 10-year anniversary celebration, GiveDirectly Rwanda welcomed donors and partners to Remera and Nyange Sectors in @MusanzeDistrict to see our work firsthand, engage with local communities, and hear directly from recipients about the choices shaping their futures. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

Habwa Wigire continues to reach more communities! The program’s launch in Mukingo and Busasamana sectors in @NyanzaDistrict. During the launch, GiveDirectly called on local leaders to play an active role in raising awareness about the program, ensuring residents understand its purpose, how it works, and what it means for them. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

TIMELINE 2020: In 2020, Dominic from @RubavuDistrict relied on making and selling pottery to support his wife and two children. When COVID-19 disrupted his ability to reach customers, his family struggled to put food on the table, sometimes going to bed hungry. Living in a small, leaking room at his mother’s home made life even harder. When Dominic’s family received their cash transfers, they were able to buy food, meet their children’s basic needs, and build a home of their own. They also began saving for the future, something they had rarely been able to do before. For Dominic, the support meant more than getting through a difficult time. It meant having a safe place for his family, greater peace of mind, and the chance to start building a more secure future. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

Gregoire and Patricie from @RusiziDistrict relied on working on other people’s farms to support their family of six, often struggling to keep their children in school. When times became more difficult, they made the painful decision to sell part of their farmland just to provide for their family. Today, they have bought back their land, invested in a cow that now provides milk for their family and extra income, and can pay their children’s school fees without worry. With Patricie now equipped with a smartphone to support her local women’s cooperative, they are rebuilding more than their family's financial stability. They are creating a future where their children can continue learning and their family can move forward with greater dignity and peace of mind. #HabwaWigire #UmuturageKuIsonga

DID YOU KNOW THAT? Over the past 10 years, women have been at the heart of our journey in Rwanda, with 70% of the more than 285,000 households we've reached being female-headed. Behind this number are women making their own choices, pursuing their ambitions, and building better futures for themselves and their families. #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

In case you missed our media engagement, here is our updated press release from our 10th-anniversary celebration, published via Business Insights Africa | @Afro_Insights. For media enquiries or further information, please contact us on email - [[email protected]] #GD10 #AcceleratingChange

Missed yesterday’s #GD10 celebration? Here’s a summarised look back at the stories, smiles and conversations as we marked ten years of @GiveDirectly in Rwanda. Watch the highlights and celebrate with us. #AcceleratingChange