News

Curio*, a 12-year-old in Mahama Refugee Camp, once dropped out of school and cared for neighbors' children after his father abandoned him — but after placement in a foster family supported by Save the Children, UNHCR and BPRM, he’s back in Primary Four, thriving and dreaming of becoming a doctor. 

After fleeing violence in eastern DR Congo, JK, a 40-year-old mother of five, arrived at Musenyi refugee site in Burundi traumatized, separated from her children, and uncertain of her husband's fate. Through Save the Children's Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence programme, she received support that helped her regain confidence and begin rebuilding her life. 

Access to affordable financing is helping climate entrepreneurs in Rwanda grow their businesses, create jobs, and improve the wellbeing of children and families. Through Kumwe Hub, Save the Children's child-impact investment initiative, ecopreneurs are expanding climate-smart solutions while contributing to more resilient and sustainable communities.  

With determination, community support, and targeted investment, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre owner has transformed a small childcare initiative into a thriving learning environment, helping more children access quality early education while supporting working families.  

Training, coaching, and mentorship provided through the Nkuza Neza Project are equipping ECD caregivers across Rwanda with the skills and confidence needed to deliver quality early childhood education, helping young children learn, play, and thrive in nurturing environments. 

A quiet but significant transformation is taking place in schools across Rwanda. Through school visits that combine monitoring, mentorship, and hands-on support, education stakeholders are helping schools become more responsive, inclusive, and better equipped to ensure that no child is left behind.  

When Sandra*, 21, repeatedly missed classes because she did not have a functional wheelchair and her school lacked ramps and a disability-friendly toilet, youth mentors with disabilities stepped in. They engaged local leaders and school management to secure a new wheelchair and advocate for necessary accessibility improvements at the school. They also worked with Sandra's parents to encourage their support for her education. These interventions improved her attendance and academic performance, although challenges related to the journey between home and school remain. 

Fifteen-year-old Teta* left her refugee camp and stopped her studies in February 2026 after being promised a job. Little did she know that this would expose her to significant risks and threaten her dreams, protection, education, and future.
After her mother reported her disappearance, coordinated efforts by Save the Children, UNHCR, the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), and the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) traced and rescued her. Returned home at the end of March, she received medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. Today, she is recovering with her family and hopes to return to school in September to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. 

When Keza* was just two months old, she was too weak to breastfeed properly and continued losing weight. Her mother, Tina*, remembers the fear of watching her baby struggle to breathe. She was immediately rushed to Save the Children Health facility where screening showed that she was suffering from Severe acute Malnutrition. (SAM). With support from Save the Children, funded by the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), and other partners, Keza gradually regained her strength. Today, she can sit, walk independently, and play with other children. Her MUAC increased from 7.5 cm to 16.7 cm, while her weight rose from 2.0 kg to 14.5 kg - a recovery that gave Tina back her peace of mind and Keza a chance to thrive.

Therese*, 59, fled Burundi and arrived in Mahama Refugee Camp in 2015. Struggling with depression and anxiety after losing her business, property, and social status, she withdrew from her community and lost confidence in herself. Through Save the Children's mental health and occupational therapy support, Therese rebuilt her self-esteem, reconnected with her community, and now earns an income by making and selling handmade bags.

A targeted door-to-door malaria response campaign in Mahama Refugee Camp has achieved a remarkable reduction in malaria cases, cutting weekly infections by approximately 86 percent within a month and helping protect thousands of vulnerable residents, including young children and pregnant women, from one of the community's deadliest health threats.  

Skilled birth attendance reached 99.6% across Nyabiheke and Mahama refugee camps and Nkamira Transit Centre for asylum seekers during the first half of 2026. This achievement was driven by strengthened on-site maternal health services, competency-based midwife training, community health mobilization, and life-saving innovations such as drone-assisted blood delivery for obstetric emergencies.