SCAW BLOG: RWANDA, 2026: August 27-28

We have covered many kilometres driving through the Rwandan countryside on our way to where each distribution of bedkits takes place. What stands out is the civility of the drivers of vehicles and motorcycles who need to share the winding roads that dot the countryside. The region is known for the hills and valleys that make up the area around the capital Kigali.

The capital as well as the surrounding countryside are conspicuously clean. There is virtually no litter to be seen!  Today as it is the last Saturday of the month was national clean-up day and participation is mandatory.  There is a collective sense of pride and participation that reflects in the communities.

The area we visited yesterday and today was very close to the Ugandan border in the north of the country.  We set up a distribution in a school that was in the shadow of one of the five volcanoes that mark the landscape of that part of Rwanda. 

At the start of every distribution the SCAW travelling team are presented to the assembled bed-kit recipients and their parents. The members of the SCAW team hold up the various items which make up the bedkit. With each item there is a round of applause. 

On two days the loudest applause was offered up to acknowledge the mosquito net. Another favourite item was the combination of books and pens. All items are warmly received but the addition of the mosquito net is life-changing. In a number of interviews we have heard repeatedly that mosquitos are a serious problem, that can cause serious health issues such as malaria. The problem is especially severe around the rainy season and in the countryside where there are pools of standing water.

The children who are the intended recipients of the bedkits require a good night’s sleep in order to maximize their ability to concentrate during the day at school. Many children underperform in school and the cause is directly related to their not getting the rest that is necessary for children. This situation can be alleviated by providing a mosquito net. 

Parents of children who receive the mosquito nets are thrilled to be able to report that this change has been instrumental in the improved learning results of their children. 

Each donation is significant and each recipient receives a hand up, not a hand out in life’s journey.

Thank you to each and every donor.

Team Rwanda, 2026

Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 + SCAW 🇨🇦