Founded in January 2014, Rukundo International (RI) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to partnering with and advocating for the people of Kyanamira, a small rural community in Kabale District, Southwestern Uganda. RI was established with a clear focus on women and children, recognizing that empowering these groups is central to building resilient families and enabling long-term community development. The organization works to ensure that community members have access to the resources, opportunities, and support systems necessary to reach their full potential and break cycles of poverty.

All RI projects are developed through a collaborative and participatory approach that actively involves local government officials, community leaders, and residents of Kyanamira. Sustainability is treated as a core principle rather than an afterthought, guiding project design, implementation, and evaluation. By grounding its interventions in local priorities and knowledge, Rukundo International strengthens community ownership and ensures that initiatives remain relevant, effective, and capable of lasting impact beyond external support.

Rukundo Preparatory School serves as the flagship program of Rukundo International and stands at the heart of its community-based work. The school provides quality primary education to nearly 300 children and also functions as a central hub for community activities and services. As a home base for the community center, the school extends its impact beyond academics by supporting social development, parental engagement, and community cohesion, thereby positioning education as a catalyst for broader transformation.

In addition to education, RI provides targeted support to orphans, financially distressed families, and at-risk youth within the community. While acknowledging that there are vulnerable populations across the world, Rukundo International has made a deliberate commitment to rural Uganda, where poverty and limited access to educational resources significantly affect children’s life chances. Through focused, community-driven interventions, RI seeks to create meaningful, lasting change for families in Kyanamira and to model inclusive, sustainable rural development.