Caritas Rwanda was established in 1960 by Catholic Bishops of Rwanda. It was officially recognized as a non-profit organization by the ministerial order nr 499/08 in 1962, and became a non-governmental organization according to the law no 06/2012 of 17/02/2012 governing the management and governance of religion-based institutions in Rwanda.

Since 1965, Caritas Rwanda was integrated in an extended Caritas Organization known as, Caritas Internationalis, which is an international confederation of all Caritas organizations in the world. At the moment Caritas Rwanda is operating countrywide through Diocesan Caritas, Parish Caritas, sub-parish and Small Christian Communities’ Caritas.

What We Do

• Social Welfare Activities

With charitable interventions across the country, Caritas Rwanda along with its network, supports the most vulnerable people (The elderlies, the people with disabilities, most vulnerable, chronically sick people among others) to satisfy their basic needs: access to shelter, access to education, clothing, health services, food and nonfood items etc.

Caritas Rwanda joins as well Caritas Internationalis efforts throughout the Emergency Appeals (EA) for actions abroad to implement solutions formulated in case of disasters.

• Development Activities

Caritas Rwanda supports active people including but not limited to small-scale farmers, cooperatives and various groups’ initiatives towards their self-reliance.  Caritas Rwanda promotes the food security activities that are environmental-friendly, saving our common home, in line with the Pope Francis Encyclic ‘’Laudato Si’’ and Government of Rwanda Policies in Agriculture domain. Farmers are facilitated to access to agricultural inputs, financial resources, and access to market for their agricultural production. They are trained and supported in their off-farm initiatives (Technical, Vocational and Educational Training, handicraft, various services delivery among others) to increase their sources of income.

• Health, Nutrition and WASH Activities

Caritas Rwanda implements the community-based health and nutrition activities to improve Rwandans’ health outcomes and nutritional status, with the particular focus on children in their 1,000 first day’s window, women and people with chronic diseases. Caritas Rwanda jointly with the Ministry of Health, coordinate activities of 119 Catholic Church owned health facilities (accounting for 30% of all health infrastructures in Rwanda), including 3 specialized hospitals.