The word “Umuganda” means coming together to help another person. The word has since become the name of a Rwandan tradition that occurs in the morning on the last Saturday of every month.
On Umuganda days, all Rwandans are supposed to take part in a community service project. This may mean cleaning the street, digging a hole, building a house, or any other project which a community would like help with.
While Umuganda was originally implemented as a part of the rebuilding of the country after the war in 1994, Umuganda continues today as a way to bring Rwandans together.
In 1994 a horrible war erupted in Rwanda. The war, which is known in Rwanda as the Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsis, destroyed much of the country and many people were killed.
The introduction of Umuganda days in 1998 was a way to rebuild the physical infrastructure of Rwanda while bringing Rwandan communities together.
Umuganda is very much a tradition rooted in Rwanda’s history and culture. It reflects efforts to rebuild Rwanda after the war and also shows how Rwandans are still coming together today.
Rwanda has made massive strides to rebuild in the aftermath of the atrocities, and in many ways, it’s been a successful journey. The nationwide community workday called Umuganda was institutionalized to promote peace, unity, and prosperity throughout the nation.
Umuganda is a practice that has long existed in Rwandan culture but only recently became mandatory. On the last Saturday of every month, from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, businesses close and traffic halts as citizens across the country take to their neighbourhoods, shovels and hoes in hand, and together try to make them a little bit better than they were the month before.
Projects range from digging drainage ditches to street sweeping. All able-bodied citizens between the ages of 18 and 65 are expected to participate, and dodging the civic duty can result in a fine or even arrest.
As a result of this, it’s rare to see much litter in Rwanda, even in the capital city Kigali, which is frequently called the cleanest city in Africa. Visitors are often surprised by how spotless the streets are, but anyone in town for Umuganda can begin to understand why the nation looks so tidy.
