Our Commitments
● Our initiative is an offer to all schools and educational institutions in Rwanda.
● We aim to adapt as closely as possible to Rwandan culture.
● To achieve the highest possible sustainability, we emphasize collaboration with teacher training institutions and authorities.
● The project will be scientifically supported through students of the Zurich University of Special Needs Education (HfH).
● Our financial contributions are self-funded.
Our Concepts
- Through workshops, we impart practical expertise to teachers in dealing with children with special educational needs using various modules.
- Through school visits, we support schools in both organizational and educational implementation.
- Our activities should be supported by the Rwanda Education Board (REB) and the University of Rwanda – College of Education (UR-CE), and be co-determined as far as possible.
What Has Been Done So Far
February 2024
As a five-member Swiss delegation, we visited multiple Rwandan schools working in special education and conducted a seminar attended by 80 school leaders and teachers from 15 schools. The goal was to gain insights into local practices and challenges.
Outlook
In February 2026, we will visit schools that participated in the workshop to support the implementation of the workshop content, accompanied by two one-day workshops.
A collaboration with the College is under evaluation. The goal is to develop a multi-year certified course offering.
August 2024
A three-day follow-up seminar deepened the exchange, with 20 school leaders from selected schools. Topics included ADHD diagnostics, parent collaboration, and the use of hands-on teaching tools, as well as the first introduction of the SED-S Assessment. Swiss and Rwandan experts co-led the sessions. Contact with government officials was strengthened; a university partnership is still in progress.
July 2025
We presented teaching materials and again developed individual learning trays and tools, which can be used in lessons. They benefit both regular students and children with special needs, with a focus on mathematics.
In addition, we continued teaching and practicing the use of the SED-S assessment tool to measure the emotional development of children in the classroom and how to appropriately meet their needs in specific situations and apply therapeutic educational interventions accordingly. Each participant should now be able to apply this tool when needed.
February 2025
Another two-day workshop was held at the RBC headquarters in Kigali with 30 educators. The focus was the further development of the SED-S Assessment Tool, the activity-based learning method in early childhood, and inclusive education (Action-Tray/tray tasks). Teaching materials were co-developed, and practical modules in developmental psychology and diagnostics were introduced. Teachers created individualized learning tools, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
A highlight was the visit by the Principal of the College of Education and the Director General of REB, underlining the potential for broader institutional adoption.
Nelson Mbarushimana, Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB):
“This partnership is a vital step toward transforming education for children with special needs…”
Sponsor Body
This initiative was born from the vision of a Swiss education expert with over 20 years of experience in school leadership. Inspired by project visits in Rwanda as a board member of the Swiss NGO Business Professional Network (BPN), he initiated a dialogue with Rwanda’s Ministry of Education in 2021. Exploratory visits in 2022 and an educational exchange in 2023 laid the basic vision for the “Rwanda Initiative for Special Education” (RISE) program.
The project is being run as a separate entity with its own accounts via the SalZH Foundation in Winterthur, Switzerland: www.salzh.ch. With further growth, a separate organization called RISE will be founded.
Target Group
All private and public schools with a need for targeted support of children with special educational needs can participate in the project. Currently, we are working with approximately 12 private schools.
Sponsor Body
This initiative was born from the vision of a Swiss education expert with over 20 years of experience in school leadership. Inspired by project visits in Rwanda as a board member of the Swiss NGO Business Professional Network (BPN), he initiated a dialogue with Rwanda’s Ministry of Education in 2021. Exploratory visits in 2022 and an educational exchange in 2023 laid the basic vision for the “Rwanda Initiative for Special Education” (RISE) program.
The project is being run as a separate entity with its own accounts via the SalZH Foundation in Winterthur, Switzerland: www.salzh.ch. With further growth, a separate organization called RISE will be founded.
Target Group
All private and public schools with a need for targeted support of children with special educational needs can participate in the project. Currently, we are working with approximately 12 private schools.
Meet Our Team
Most Passionate Team Members
Francis Ntihinyuka
Isaie Mihigo
Claudia Jöhr
