Access to clean water, proper sanitation, and hygiene is a fundamental right, yet many girls with disabilities in Musanze, Rwanda, face significant barriers to these essential services. The WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Program, implemented from June 2018 to May 2021, set out to change this. This transformative initiative, led by UWEZO Youth Empowerment in partnership with Able Child Africa and funded by Jersey Overseas Aid, aimed to empower girls with disabilities by improving their access to education through inclusive WASH practices.
Focusing on six schools across Cyuve, Muhoza, and Nyange sectors, the program not only enhanced infrastructure but also fostered a supportive community environment. By training young women with disabilities as mentors, creating health clubs, and engaging local communities, the WASH Program made a lasting impact, ensuring that these girls can attend school with dignity and confidence.
Program Goals
- Empower Girls with Disabilities
- Strengthen Local Capacity
- Improve School WASH Infrastructure
- Engage and Educate the Community
- Provide Essential Hygiene Resources
- Ensure Sustainability and Long-term Impact
The WASH Project in Musanze District, Rwanda, launched in June 2018, aimed to improve inclusive WASH in schools, empowering girls with disabilities to access education. It concluded in May 2021, supporting Rwanda’s 2015 goal of 100% WASH coverage by 2023. Rwanda’s population was 12.95 million in 2020, with 446,453 persons with disabilities according to the 2012 census.
Lessons Learned
