1. The Tubarere Mu Muryango (TMM) /Let’s Raise Children in the Family Program 

The Tubarere Mu Muryango /Let’s Raise Children in the Family (TMM) is a Rwanda national program that was established to implement the Strategy for National Child Care Reform (2012). The Strategy originated from children of Rwanda, during the 7th National Children’s Summit in early 2012, when they stated their wish to see every child in Rwanda growing up in a loving and protective family. Thus, the Government of Rwanda made a strong commitment to transform Rwanda’s child care and protection system into a family-based system of care. The Strategy details how children living in institutions should regain their right to be raised in a safe and supportive family environment and is grounded in Rwandan culture.

Prior to the initiation of the TMM programme, there were a substantial number of children in institutional care in Rwanda: a survey in 2012 found 3,323 children and young adults in 33 government-registered facilities.  Global evidence indicates that the use of such large-scale institutions can be profoundly harmful to children, leading to developmental delays, lower levels of intelligence, problems forming relationships, and exposure to abuse and neglect. The potential harm caused by institutional care is exacerbated by low-quality care, and in Rwanda indicators such as low carer-to-child ratios suggest poor quality care in many facilities.

Both UNICEF and the government of Rwanda recognize the importance of developing a wider child protection system that addresses all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence. The TMM programme and care reform is being used as an effective catalyst for wider improvements in child protection. It is implemented by the Government of Rwanda in partnership with UNICEF and different NGOs.

2. Tubarere Neza: Support to orphans and vulnerable children

Tubarere Neza is an NCDA project funded by the Global Fund. Launched in 2009 under the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion before being transferred to the NCDA, the project has provided comprehensive support to vulnerable children and families, including school fees, meals, learning materials, and livelihood assistance, helping to ensure that children remain in school and have the opportunity to thrive.

Key interventions under Tubarere Neza:

• Providing school fees and scholastic materials to orphans and other children from vulnerable families
• Providing income generating activities (IGA) to foster care families and train them on small projects management
• Providing start up kits to graduates beneficiaries of TVETs school to ensure their full reintegration into the community
• Training supported children on how to manage small projects.

3. Stunting Prevention and Reduction Project (SPRP)

Since 2018, the Government of Rwanda and the World Bank have partnered to implement a Stunting Prevention and Reduction Project (SPRP) aimed at reducing stunting among children under five in 13 districts with the highest stunting rates. In 2023, the project received additional financing to strengthen its interventions.

The targeted districts include: Nyabihu, Ngororero, Karongi, Rubavu, Rutsiro, Rusizi, Nyamagabe, Huye, Nyaruguru, Ruhango, Gakenke, Kayonza and Bugesera. Where the project aims at maximizing overlap with the existing Social Protection project to achieve synergy.

Rwanda Stunting Prevention and Reduction Project (SPRP) supports community-based approaches, improve the delivery of high-impact nutrition and health interventions, incentivize frontline community health workers and health personnel, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and promote a learning-by-doing approach to draw lessons on what works and how it can be scaled up.

SPRP focuses on children under five (particularly children under two to reach them in the critical 1,000-day window of opportunity, before stunting becomes largely irreversible), as well as pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls and poorest households.

Of the initially $55 million approved, $25 million credit was provided by the International Development Association (IDA), and the rest was a grant jointly provided by The Power of Nutrition ($ 20 million) and the Global Financing Facility ($ 10 Million). 

4. Tubakuze Project 

The TUBAKUZE Project is a three-year project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) to strengthen the delivery of Early Childhood Development (ECD) services across Rwanda. The project runs from October 2024 to October 2027 and is implemented nationwide.

The project aims to improve the well-being and development of young children by increasing access to quality ECD services, particularly for children from vulnerable communities and those with special needs. It also seeks to strengthen linkages between community-based ECD facilities and school-based ECD programs, enhance coordination and support systems for ECD services at district, sector, and village levels, and reduce stunting and malnutrition through improved Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions at both household and ECD facility levels. 

Targeted beneficiaries:

• Children in ECD settings including children with special needs in ECDs and children from the most vulnerable communities
• Caregivers and other community workforce (CHWs, IZU).
• School Head Teachers
• Parents, families with children in ECD settings
• District staff and NCDA staff 

Key interventions of TUBAKUZE Project include:

• Conduct capacity-building training for ECD Master Trainers, local government staff, head teachers, ECD caregivers, and Friends of the Family (Inshuti z'Umuryango – IZU) on holistic and inclusive ECD service delivery,
• Strengthen the capacity of journalists and media practitioners to produce accurate, evidence-based, and child-sensitive reporting on holistic and inclusive ECD services;
• Clustering Home and Community based - ECDs to school-based ECDs to work closer together for better service delivery;
• Providing learning and playing materials to ECDs facilities;
• Support to assessment of the child development in ECDs facilities;
• Provision of assistive devices to children with special needs;
• Provision of WASH materials and trainings on their proper utilization. These include: water filters, child friendly handwashing facilities and child friendly toilets to children and vulnerable;
• Implement awareness and social behaviour change campaigns on holistic and inclusive ECD services using multiple communication channels, including radio talk shows, live drama performances, and community engagement activities, to promote the importance of quality ECD and encourage positive caregiving practices.

5. Nkuza Neza Programme 

Nkuza Neza is an outcome-based financing initiative of the Government of Rwanda, supported by the LEGO Foundation through the Education Outcomes Fund. The programme is designed to strengthen child development outcomes by enhancing the quality of community-based Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres across the country.

Overall Objective: Nkuza Neza aims to improve the structural and process quality of existing community-based ECD centres in Rwanda, while creating incentives for disability inclusion, ultimately leading to better child development outcomes and school readiness.

Specific Objectives

• Strengthen child development and school readiness for children aged 3–5,
• Enhance the quality of community-based ECDs through;
• Building caregiver capacity in play-based pedagogy;
• Improving learning environments;
• Supporting children with disabilities to thrive.

Target: 25,000 children aged 3–5 years across 390 ECD centres nationwide.

Expected outcomes

• Structural improvements: 390 ECD facilities refurbished and upgraded to meet ECD minimum standards regarding the overall environment and infrastructure,
• Process improvements: caregivers from 390 trained and equipped with knowledge and skills to apply play-based pedagogies, facilitate social emotional learning and apply inclusive practices;
• Child Development: Children who benefit from the programme have improved outcomes with regard to early learning, social emotional development and gross mot skills.

Programme Funding: Total fund: $12.6 million