Project implemented during the 2024–2025 academic year
Saint François Coll Primary School is located in Ruli, in the Gakenke District in northern Rwanda, a mountainous, densely populated, and predominantly agricultural country. Rwanda has faced profound historical and social challenges, including the 1994 genocide. Although it has made significant progress in education, healthcare, and human development, poverty continues to affect more than 55% of the population.
In the Ruli area, most families live in rural communities with limited access to basic services. Many children come from economically vulnerable households that struggle to cover even the minimum costs of schooling. Saint François Coll School, founded by the Annunciata Dominican Sisters in 2015, provides a Christian and holistic education to more than 500 boys and girls, many of whom had never previously had access to formal schooling.
The lack of adequate protective infrastructure—such as a secure perimeter fence—exposes students and school staff to daily risks. This deficiency jeopardizes not only the physical safety of the students but also the security of the school’s materials and facilities, as well as the safe and peaceful environment necessary for effective learning.
The project
This project aims to construct a perimeter fence to ensure the safety and security of the students and the school environment. By enclosing the school grounds, it will not only protect children from external risks but also provide a safe and dignified environment that fosters concentration, a sense of belonging, and mutual respect.
The intervention reflects the mission of the Annunciata Dominican Sisters: to educate for peace, dignity, and hope, especially in contexts of structural poverty. This perimeter wall is not merely a physical boundary; it is a statement that the school is a safe place where every child can learn, grow, and dream of a better future.
Objective
To provide comprehensive protection for the children, school staff, and school infrastructure.
Specific objectives
- Facilitate access control and monitoring of the school premises.
- Contribute to the aesthetics and enhancement of the educational environment.
- Prevent risk situations such as intrusions, theft, or acts of violence.
Beneficiaries:
- 523 primary school students.
- Teachers and administrative staff of the school.
- Families and the local community, by ensuring better educational conditions for their children.
- Local institutions and educational authorities linked to the school.
Total project budget: €10,000
Includes site clearing, foundation works, procurement and transportation of materials, construction of the wall, and awareness-raising activities for its care and maintenance.