Inclusive education for children with intellectual disabilities in Rwanda

In Kigali’s Kicukiro District, CBM and local partners are helping hundreds of children with intellectual disabilities access education — and be fully included in their communities.

For many families in Rwanda, access to education is a milestone. But for families of children with intellectual disabilities, it’s often a distant hope. Schools lack the resources. Teachers feel unprepared.

Children with intellectual disabilities are often invisible in the classroom. Many are kept at home due to stigma, lack of teacher training, or schools that aren’t prepared to meet their needs.

At CBM, we believe education should open doors, not close them. With support from the European Union and in partnership with local organisation HVP Gatagara, we are working to ensure children with intellectual disabilities are welcomed, supported, and included in the school system and in their communities.

Building inclusion school spaces

Alexis has cerebral palsy and received treatment for 7 years at Gahini hospital in Rwanda. He was a student of Kabarondo Secondary School.

In Rwanda, despite national policies promoting inclusive education, children with intellectual disabilities often fall through the cracks. Mainstream schools are rarely equipped to accommodate their learning needs. Teachers face large class sizes and minimal training. And parents—especially those living in poverty—are unsure where to turn.

That’s why this project focuses on practical solutions grounded in the community.

450 children with intellectual disabilities, aged 3 to 18, are receiving educational assessments, tailored learning plans, and follow-up support.
Teachers in both special and mainstream schools are being trained in inclusive practices, play-based learning, and early intervention techniques.
Parents and caregivers are receiving training and psychosocial support to help them advocate for and support their children’s development.

CBM is also working with local leaders, churches, mosques, community health workers, and civil society groups to shift the mindset around disability.

Impact by 2026

450 children with intellectual disabilities assessed and enrolled in school
72 teachers trained in inclusive education
500+ families supported with training and psychosocial care
393,000+ community members sensitised on inclusive education

Strength in local partnerships

After months of intensive rehabilitation, Shalom regained full use of her legs and is back in school.

This isn’t CBM’s first step in Kicukiro. From 2020 to 2023, we supported a similar project that laid the foundation — training teachers, building awareness, and establishing disability rights clubs in 10 mainstream schools.

This new phase builds on what worked. It also responds to what’s still needed.

Together with HVP Gatagara, a respected Rwandan special education provider, we are embedding inclusive education into the fabric of community life. That includes strengthening ties with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), training over 700 community health workers, and creating space for parents and teachers to collaborate around each child’s progress — in school and at home.

From learning to livelihood

For older students, the project also introduces vocational pathways. Thirty learners will be mentored in skills-based training, with support from organisations like National Union of Disability Organisations of Rwanda and the Umbrella of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in the Fight against HIV/AIDS & for Health Promotion, which run employment programmes for persons with disabilities. It’s a model for sustainable inclusion — ensuring that learning leads to greater independence and future opportunity.

Why this matters

More than 8,900 persons with disabilities live in Kicukiro. And many more families are affected by exclusion and inequality — whether it’s the parent unable to send their child to school, the teacher unsure how to adapt, or the young person whose voice goes unheard.

By the end of 2026, we expect to reach:

500,000 community members through awareness efforts
72 teachers and 45 medical/rehabilitation professionals through targeted training
500+ families with direct support and coaching
A strengthened civil society platform advocating for disability rights in education

The project aligns directly with Rwanda’s education goals, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and Sustainable Development Goals 4, 10, and 3.

CBM’s role

CBM brings over a century of experience to this work — and decades of trusted partnerships in Rwanda. We lead with a community-based, inclusive development approach that prioritises sustainability, local ownership, and dignity.

Institutional donors like the EU trust CBM to deliver complex, multi-sectoral projects. Our track record shows that besides managing grants, we build systems that last.

What comes next?

We’re not done. More schools need training. More families need support. And stigma remains a barrier.

But with strong local partners, engaged communities, and support from donors who share our vision, CBM can make education inclusive for hundreds of children.

Every time a child with an intellectual disability walks into a classroom and is seen, supported, and celebrated — we take another step forward.