Umuganda Community Participation is a National Holiday in Rwanda taking place on the last Saturday of every month, for mandatory nationwide community work from 08:00 to 11:00. Umuganda is a Kinyarwanda word that translates as “coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome,” a practice that has long existed in Rwandan culture but only recently became mandatory as is required by law, and failure to participate can result in a fine.
Umuganda Community Participation- Photo by The New Times
In traditional Rwandan culture, members of the community would call upon their family, friends, and neighbors to help them complete a difficult task. As part of efforts to reconstruct Rwanda and nurture a shared national identity, in 2009 the program was established where the Government of Rwanda drew on aspects of Rwandan culture and traditional practices to enrich and adapt its development programs to the country’s needs and context. This has resulted in a notable improvement in the cleanliness of Rwanda.
Projects range from digging drainage ditches, street sweeping, farming for those who were unable to do so due to either physical handicap or old age, building houses for the poor and providing transportation to medical facilities to those who were in need. Visitor participation in Umuganda community participation is absolutely FREE.
Rwanda’s government also employs professional street sweepers, gardeners and road crews. But ordinary citizens definitely do their part. And since litter is now so scarce, for Umuganda people often do another community service.
All able-bodied citizens between the ages of 18 and 65 are expected to participate in Umuganda, and dodging the civic duty can result in a fine or even arrest. It is a unique experience to many visitors new to Rwanda and off the normal safari it is one day that one can feel comfortable to compliment after a Gorilla tour in Volcanoes or perhaps after a wildlife safari in Akagera National Park.