Rwanda and GiveDirectly, a non-profit organization that provides unconditional cash transfers to economically vulnerable people, are set to strengthen their partnership in supporting the poor. This move comes as Rwanda aims to reduce poverty levels through various interventions, including cash transfers. GiveDirectly has been working in Rwanda since 2016, providing cash transfers to vulnerable households. The new partnership is expected to accelerate these efforts and reach more people in need. ALSO READ: World Bank confirms Rwanda’s poverty reduction rate During a meeting with Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente on March 9, Rory Stewart, President of GiveDirectly, discussed the organization's plans to work with the government to support efforts to alleviate poverty. Explaining the program's concept, Stewart said: The idea is that instead of just providing training, we provide them with cash grants, which enable them to really invest and make their lives better. He highlighted GiveDirectly's successful program in Gisagara district, where cash transfers have had an incredible impact on people's lives. Stewart said that by providing cash support, people can fix their homes, buy cows, send their children back to school, get government health insurance, invest in small businesses or farms, and achieve sustainable impact in their communities. Within three months,” he continued, “we see an impact, and in three to five years, we can still see a sustainable impact in the communities. Stewart praised Rwanda's environment, which he described as having a clear development plan and established infrastructure, making it easy to invite financial support for people to help themselves. If you give people freedom and trust, the result is unbelievable, he said. On October 20, 2022, Rory Stewart met with President Paul Kagame and discussed furthering collaboration towards socio-economic transformation. Speaking to the press, Stewart said he was delighted to have met with Kagame and different cabinet ministers to design a joint program that will provide direct cash support to people in Rwanda. The strengthened partnership between Rwanda and GiveDirectly is expected to have a significant impact on poverty reduction efforts in the country. ALSO READ: Why we should support pro-poor Gov’t plans Jean Claude Musabyimana, the Minister of Local Government, expressed his appreciation for GiveDirectly's contribution to poverty alleviation in Rwanda, revealing that the non-profit organization has already provided around $100 million in direct cash transfers to people in need. Musabyimana added that GiveDirectly has been working in five districts in Rwanda and will play a bigger part in the new strategy to fight poverty in the country. He cited success stories of more than 17,000 people who have worked with GiveDirectly so far, saying that they are a good example of how people can escape poverty, and that their families have developed in different ways. Musabyimana emphasized that this program will help in the government's poverty reduction strategy and they wish to extend it to all districts of the country as more stakeholders come in to support the program's expansion.
