Umuganda – the community building initiative in Rwanda

By Srinivasa Shenoy Africa, Rwanda 0 Comments

‘Umuganda’ – the community building initiative in Rwanda came as a special pleasant ‘shocker’ during my visit to Rwanda in September 2020. The concept of ‘Umuganda’ is absolutely beautiful! On the last Saturday of every month, from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, businesses close and traffic halts as citizens across the country take to their neighbourhoods and assist in a select ‘community’ project.

What is Umuganda?

Umuganda literally means “coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome”. This practice that has long existed in Rwandan culture but has only recently become mandatory. In earlier days, in the villages, all inhabitants would come together to help a fellow villager build his home – a community initiative to bring people closer together. Today, participation in Umuganda, the community building initiative, by one able-bodied member from each household is mandatory as a compulsory civic duty in the whole of Rwanda.

While some projects focus more on infrastructural developments like building schools and housing for those in need, a significant percentage of Umuganda efforts center on environmental protections and public clean-up. Thus, the project can include assisting in building a road, cleaning streets, cutting grass, trimming bushes alongside the roads, planting trees, and repairing public buildings etc.

Umuganda: The cynical view

The cynic amongst us would say that a 3 hour effort once a month is barely a dent in the overall efforts involved in say building a road. A complete waste of time! A bulldozer would complete in a matter of 10 minutes what 100 odd volunteers would complete in an hour.

This view is completely missing the whole point and spirit of this exercise! I think the objective of this community initiative is to bring together people of a community on a periodic basis. The ‘exercise’ (and it does involve quite a physical effort) is symbolic and the real purpose is of fostering a spirit of togetherness and involvement in the community.

Umuganda: A Platform for a dialogue with the Municipal authorities

These objectives are also reflected in the activities post the ‘community work’. After the physical effort of assisting in community projects, people come together and discuss the problems of the immediate community. The community official (government representative) is always present and he listens to the various concerns of the community. The concerns can be as simple as the inconveniences faced by the residents due to dirty neighbourhoods. The official also updates the community about the progress on their concerns highlighted in the previous Umuganda. So, Umuganda, in addition to contributing to community work, also provides a platform for the public to air their municipal grievances to the government.

Umuganda, the Community building initiative in Rwanda — A public official briefing the locals on the achievements of the government, Umuganda, Kigali, Sept 2019

Umuganda Celebrations

In certain communities, there is a general ‘celebration’ after Umuganda. E.g. in the Umuganda we participated in, there was a demonstration of ‘dare-devil’ antics by a local Boda-boda (motor bike taxi) driver.

Check out the video of celebrations:

Our involvement in Umuganda

We were on a Rwanda Tourism sponsored FAM (Familiarisation) trip for Travel Advisors from across the world. We joined the Umuganda exercise in one of the communities in Kigali and helped in the initial stages of building a road. Post the physical ‘exercise’, we joined the community meeting at the local basketball court. There were speeches by the local officials of the progress made. The event ended with general celebrations – singing and yes, dancing! See some of the pictures and videos above.

Truly a memorable experience! Kept me wondering on whether such ‘mandated’ but truly commendable community initiatives are possible at all in my own country – India! I suppose not! Undoubtedly the need for such community get-togethers also exists in India. Maybe the need is more– given the deep divisions (social, religious, economic and political) throughout the country. However, I cannot see anything of this sort happening in India anytime!

Kudos to the government of Rwanda in making this initiative happen!