Rwanda Steps Up Mental Health Support in Remote Areas with 39 New Motorcycles

Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) on November 19, 2024, received 39 new motorcycles and accompanying safety equipment to strengthen the government’s efforts to raise awareness and improve access to mental health and psychosocial support services at the community level.

The donation from Interpeace, supported by Government of Sweden, is part of Interpeace’s Societal Healing Programme named “Reinforcing Community Capacity for Social Cohesion and Reconciliation through Societal Healing in Rwanda”. The programme addresses mental health challenges, promotes reconciliation and resilience, and supports livelihoods through community-based interventions.

Over the past three years, Interpeace and the Ministry of Health, through RBC, have collaborated on initiatives to strengthen the capacities of decentralised mental health facilities. These efforts include conducting community awareness campaigns, implementing community-based mental health screenings, and delivering mental health services effectively at health centre levels in the programme’s target districts. This partnership also prioritises the development and implementation of evidence-based, culturally appropriate mental health intervention tools that meet both scientific standards and the unique cultural context of Rwanda.

Mr. Frank KAYITARE, Interpeace’s Country Representative in Rwanda, expressed gratitude for the partnership between the Swedish Embassy, Rwanda’s Government, and partners Dignity in Detention (DIDE) Rwanda, Prison Fellowship, and Haguruka. The Embassy provided funding for motorbikes and other equipment to the the Rwandan Government, and Interpeace, who are working to rebuild society after 30 years of tragedies, including mental health.

“As a peacebuilding organisation, we believe that true peace begins within each individual. Lasting peace cannot exist without peace of mind. That is why we work alongside the government to address the significant mental health challenges that many Rwandans face, largely as a result of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi,” he remarked.

He revealed that Interpeace began working on mental health in 2020 after consultations with various agencies, including the Rwandan government, civil society, international organizations, and development partners. However, there was a stocktaking around 2019, questioning if full cohesion and reconciliation were achievable. A 2018 Household Survey on Mental Health revealed that addressing mental health is crucial for achieving full healing and reconciliation. Kayitare believes that addressing mental health is essential for achieving full healing and reconciliation. Interpeace has worked closely with the Minister of Health, RBC, to address this issue and continue their efforts in the mental health sphere.

“We started with developing the tools which this motorcycle is actually going to support in implementing. We also look at the needs, we evaluate the needs together and we work with our partners, the donors, we express the need that we’ve seen on the field, the lessons we’ve learned. And I would like to thank the Embassy of Sweden for trusting us that the lessons we’ve learned, the feedback we give, they validate it and that’s how we end up with a support like this,” Kayitare said.

One of the key interventions under this initiative is Resilience-Oriented Therapy (ROT), a group-based psychological treatment designed to make mental health care accessible across Rwanda. ROT specifically addresses issues related to emotional regulation, identity development, and behavioral self-management, enhancing individual psychological resilience. It has proven effective in treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorders.

Currently, ROT is being implemented in 32 health centres and seven district hospitals across five districts: Musanze, Ngoma, Nyabihu, Nyamagabe, and Nyagatare. The therapy is delivered by trained psychologists and mental health nurses in a group setting, ensuring that community members receive professional and culturally appropriate care.

Mr. Theo Principe UWAYO, the Chief Finance Officer at RBC, praised Rwanda’s progress in decentralizing mental health services, highlighting the role of mental health units in improving community access to care. He also commended the collaboration between Interpeace, the Ministry of Health in Rwanda, and CEDA in implementing a program on social trauma healing.

He welcomed the donation as a timely addition to ongoing efforts to professionalize and make mental health services more accessible.

He said, “This support comes at the right time and will make a transformative difference in our ability to reach communities across the country. With these motorcycles, our mental health professionals will be better equipped to bring essential services to people in remote areas”

The motorcycles and equipment provided will be allocated to district hospitals and health centers in the districts where ROT is already operational. These vehicles will enable mental health professionals to reach remote communities, conduct screening sessions, provide care, and increase awareness about mental health issues through outreach campaigns.

“RBC is receiving 39 motorcycles on behalf of its health centers, we recognize the program’s contributionscontributions to resilience-based therapy protocols, training mental health professionals, and providing logistical support. These motorcycles are not RBC assets but rather for the community,” Uwayo added.

Ms. Martina Fors Mohlin, Head of Cooperation and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden in Rwanda, stated that the motorcycles will aid community mental health professionals and ensure the sustainability of their activities beyond the project and Interpeace support, thereby institutionalizing mental health care services, which are crucial and urgently needed in Rwanda.

“And I think personally that it’s our duty to provide mental health support to vulnerable people living in rural areas, as the horrors of Rwanda’s past over 30 years are unimaginable. Nearly every Rwandan, both young and elderly, has been affected and traumatized through direct involvement in violence, personal injury, or death by loved ones,” she said.

“So the need for healing for the Rwandans, both at an individual and at a community level, is immense. And mental health therefore needs to be put at the very center of Rwanda’s efforts to heal and be able to move forward. As it is only when individuals, families, and communities have stable peace of mind that peace and prosperity for this country are possible,” she added.

She concluded by expressing hope that rural areas in Musanze, Nyamagabe, Ngoma, Nyagatare, and Nyabihu will have access to mental health services and urged mental health professionals to use the motorcycles and computer tablets diligently and efficiently to reach those in need. The goal is to achieve a resilient, healthy, and unified Rwanda, ensuring that everyone has access to necessary mental health services.

This handover follows a previous provision of tablet computers to the same hospitals and health centers, intended to enhance data collection and management in mental health services. In May 2022, Interpeace and RBC jointly launched Rwanda’s first-ever Mobile Mental Health Clinic in Bugesera District, an innovative initiative aimed at bolstering the country’s decentralised mental health system.

The partnership between Interpeace and the Ministry of Health, through RBC, remains committed to advancing the goals of the 2020–2024 National Mental Health Strategic Plan, which is scheduled for revision, and contributing to the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Rwanda’s Vision 2050. Both strategic frameworks prioritise the health and well-being of the population as a cornerstone of national development.