
Posted by Hasin from burdie.co
April 8, 2019
In the global landscape, Rwanda is perhaps most known for the deadly 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. However, since then the nation has gone through significant socio-economic change in efforts to transform itself.
Take a look at this snapshot for some quick facts about Rwanda.
Rwanda is in East Africa and bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Located in the center of the country, Kigali is the capital of Rwanda.
The current population of Rwanda is quite young. The median age is 19.6 years old!
Just over 2 million Rwandans live in urban areas. This number is quickly growing.
Rwanda is 158th (out of 189) on the Human Development Index, which is a measure of life expectancy, education, income.
According to the World Bank, Rwanda is ranked 2nd in terms of doing business in Africa, after Mauritus.
* These facts are sourced from a variety of reputable resources, such as World Bank, Worldometers, Statista
In Rwanda, community service is mandatory for any able citizen between the ages of 18 and 65. In fact, Rwandans get fined if they don’t take part in community service. Even expats are encouraged to join in and why wouldn’t they? It’s one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture.
Community service in Rwanda falls under the umbrella of Umuganda, which has deep ties with the nation’s history. The word Umuganda originates from Kinyarwanda, which is one of Rwanda’s official languages, along with English, French, and Swahili.
"Umuganda is a practice that is rooted in the Rwandan culture of self-help and cooperation. In traditional Rwandan culture, members of the community would call upon their family, friends, and neighbors to help them complete difficult tasks."
- Rwanda Governance Board
Rwandans understand that a dirty environment can lead to poor health of its citizens. In the rural villages, community health clubs are changing the mindset of citizens when it comes to cleanliness by educating them about the health and environment benefits of maintaining a clean environment. Such initiatives are especially important as Kigali’s metropolitan population is rapidly growing.
Burdie.co is a dynamic travel service that provides travelers all over the world with curated information about popular and under-the-radar destinations.
© Burdie Travel 2023 | Made with ♡ in NYC