Before change had a chance to begin, daily life for many rural families in Rwanda followed a fragile routine. Something as simple as washing hands with soap and clean water was not guaranteed.

In 2020, only 25% of households nationwide had access to a basic handwashing facility. In rural areas, that number dropped to just 23%. For children, this gap was more than an inconvenience. It meant frequent illness, missed school days, and a cycle of vulnerability that quietly undermined their right to learn, grow, and thrive.

𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞.

At Hope of Family, we saw this reality reflected painfully close to home. Among our 100 beneficiary households, not a single home had a proper handwashing station. Every meal prepared, every child returning from school, every caregiver tending to a sick child was done without the most basic line of defense against disease. This was not just a hygiene gap. It was a barrier to education, dignity, and opportunity.

𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Last month, Hope of Family took a decisive step forward. Through our WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) intervention, we distributed handwashing stations to all 100 beneficiary households.

What may seem small, a container, soap, water, became something powerful. Protection, prevention, and possibility. For the first time, children could wash their hands before meals, families could reduce preventable illnesses, and caregivers could breathe a little easier.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞.

Homes that once faced constant hygiene-related risks are now safer, healthier spaces. Children are falling sick less often, attending school more consistently, and focusing on learning rather than illness. Hygiene knowledge and facilities, among the most cost-effective, life-saving health interventions, are now part of everyday life in these households.

𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Today, a new normal is taking shape. Families are practicing safe hygiene. Children are healthier and more present in their education. Communities are better equipped to protect themselves.

Through this work, we proudly contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 6 ensuring access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for all, while reinforcing our mission of reducing extreme family poverty through strong and efficient children’s education.

Because when children are healthy, they can learn.
And when families are supported, communities move forward together.