About Company
Why Concern is working in Rwanda
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Economy & Poverty: Despite rebuilding since the 1994 genocide, nearly 38–47 % of Rwandans still live below the poverty line, and chronic child malnutrition remains widespread.
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Population Density: It’s one of Africa’s most densely populated countries, relying heavily on small-scale subsistence farming .
Key Programmes & Achievements
1. Health & Nutrition
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Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM): Since 2009, in partnership with Rwanda’s health system and donors like Scottish Aid, Concern integrated community-based treatment across six districts—treating over 2,300 severely malnourished and 3,800 moderately malnourished children, while training more than 2,200 community health workers.
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Child Survival & HIV/AIDS Capacity: Concern pioneered health innovations such as home‑based management of malaria and diarrhoea, established early voluntary HIV testing and PMTCT services, influencing national health policies and standards.
2. Livelihoods & the Graduation Model
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Graduation Programme: A holistic approach started over 15 years ago—offering cash transfers, financial coaching, business skills training, and access to markets. From 2017–2022, around 2,700 households in Gisagara graduated; in 2023 launched Green Graduation to scale to 1,200+ more families in two districts with climate-smart elements.
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Agriculture & Nutrition Link: The “Integrated Agriculture & Nutrition” programme engages ~1,600 families using climate-smart farming to boost diets and resilience.
3. Education & Gender Equality
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Concern also supports literacy programmes (e.g., L3 funded by USAID), works on gender-sensitive initiatives, and connects educational outcomes with nutrition and health – although less prominently reported.
📊 Program Scale & Impact
| Programme | Reach & Results |
|---|---|
| CMAM Nutrition | 2,300+ children treated for SAM; ~3,800 for moderate malnutrition; ~2,200 CHWs trained |
| Graduation | 2,700 households supported (2017–2022); Green Graduation new cohort ~1,200 families |
| Agriculture & Nutrition | 1,600 families engaged in climate-smart farming |
| Health Systems Strengthening | New malaria/diarrhoea protocols, HIV testing, PMTCT at the community level |
Partnerships & Funding
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Collaborates with the Government of Rwanda, Ministry of Health, and community health workers for integrating services 🇷🇼.
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Funders include Irish Aid, USAID, Scottish Government, Netherlands Embassy, among others.
Historical Context & Longevity
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Concern has been operating in Rwanda since 1994, addressing emergency relief post-genocide, then transitioning to long‑term development in health, livelihoods, education, and gender equality.
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Focus evolved from emergency to sustainable programming, embracing national policy and community capacity-building .
🧠Outlook & Future Plans
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Expand Green Graduation to more climate-affected families.
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Deepen integration of nutrition, health, agriculture, and livelihoods.
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Enhance gender equality and education initiatives.
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Continue policy advocacy and partnership with Rwanda’s government and health systems.
In summary, Concern Worldwide has a robust, multi-sectoral presence in Rwanda: from acute nutrition, child survival, health equity, to sustainable livelihoods via the Graduation model—anchored in strong partnerships and long-term commitment.
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