Rwinkwavu is a rural community in Eastern Rwanda. Its members are subsistence farmers, and the Rwinkwavu Hospital and Partners In Health offices are the largest infrastructure and sources of employment for miles. Like many schools in rural Rwanda, the local Nkondo Primary School is overcrowded and underfunded; students rarely meet benchmarks for reading and math and most do not enter high school.
In 2008 the national language of instruction in Rwanda switched to English, creating serious challenges for students and teachers alike. Between 2008 and 2010 not a single student from Nkondo Primary School passed the national exams required for admission into secondary school. This was largely due to the language barriers of the teachers and students.
In 2011 staff at the Rwinkwavu District Hospital and Partners In Health came together to address this problem. They founded the Nkondo Enrichment Program, pairing professionals from the Rwinkwavu District Hospital and Partners In Health with Nkondo Primary School teachers. Together, they held weekly English enrichment classes for Nkondo Primary School students.
In 2012, in order to provide comprehensive academic support, the program doubled in size (from 80 to 160 students) and began working with learners in primary grade 5. The program is now a two-year targeted intervention that builds English language literacy and key academic skills among Nkondo Primary School students.
The first year of the program – when students are in primary grade 5 – focuses solely on English language skills with students grouped based on language proficiency.
The second year of the program – when the students have moved up to primary grade 6 – focuses on content knowledge in key academic areas tested on the primary school promotional exams: English, math, science, social studies and IT. In 2014, through the support of the program, 58 students have passed the entrance exam for Secondary School. We are aiming for yet greater numbers. 
Jean Marie Habimana
Our Vision
We support Nkondo Primary School P5 and P6 students in their academic preparation, such that they are on-target in English, literacy and content-areas. This will allow at least 80% of students pass their P6 promotional exams and proceed to Secondary School outside of Rwinkwavu Sector. Students reach these goals through effective instruction from their teachers, who are capacitated to use participatory and small-group teaching methodologies in order to enhance their students’ native and English language, literacy and content knowledge.Our Model
We arm students with the academic skills they need to enter Secondary School through the following activities:- Weekly academic support to 200 students in primary grades 5 & 6 in key high-stakes academic areas tested on the primary school promotional exams: English, math, science, social studies and IT.
- Capacity building for targeted primary grades 5 & 6 Nkondo Primary School teachers. This includes workshops on lesson planning, curriculum design, and course material preparation.
- Engaging parents and developing relationships to encourage active participation in their children’s learning. This includes linking parents to literacy courses in the community in order to expand their own literacy and English skills.
- Providing scholarships to secondary school students who have excelled in the program and demonstrate significant need.
Our Successes
- 58 students have passed the national primary school leaving exams since the founding of the program
- 29 volunteers from Partners In Health and the Rwinkwavu District Hospital have dedicated their time to teaching students, writing curricula, and supporting the program
- 3 teachers from Nkondo Primary School have dedicated their time to teach their students on the weekend and attend workshops
