RWANDA: Community Organizes for Clean Water and Bridge

Residents of Mushikili, a rural settlement in the Kirehe District in Eastern Rwanda, began organizing their community more than a year ago. They formed a dependable team of 21 people, 11 of whom are women, who meet every other week. They listened to hundreds of their neighbors to identify their priorities for improving life in the community, which has a population of about 4,350 people.

The most serious concerns people raised were the lack of access to clean water – people must travel 2-4km to draw water from a small lake – and the need for a bridge so that young people can attend school, and farmers can get their banana crops to market.

On November 25, 2025, Dorosela Uwamurera, Zainabu Umurerwa, Francine Akingeneye, Alphonce Sibomana, and Muzehe Mwenyekiti represented the community at a research meeting with a representative of the regional Mayor. They invited him to come to the community to meet with local residents and see firsthand the need for a bridge.

At that event, they gave testimony about children and motorcyclists who had drowned in the river and reached an agreement to move forward with the construction of a bridge.

The community agreed to provide materials and labor valued at 5,600,000 Rwandan Francs ($3,850 USD), and the Mayor’s office agreed to provide 15,000,000 Rwandan Francs ($10,309 USD) toward the costs of the project, which will be constructed between February and July 2026.

Bringing clean water to the Mushikili will cost an estimated $500,000. Dorosela, Zainabu, Francine, Alphonce, Muzehe, and the other members of the Faith in Action team in Mushikili are committed to continuing their organizing efforts to ensure that the bridge is successfully completed and find the resources to bring clean water and other development progress to the community. They have also brought residents together to build a road and plant 3,800 trees.