Icyizere Raro or ‘Rare Hope’ is the name of an Early Childhood Development center (ECD) located in Nyamagabe District that cares for 20 children, ages 0-6 years old. Staying true to its name, this center is a rare hope for local children to safely develop (physically and mentally) at no cost before beginning primary school. Dufatanye Organization oversees Icyizere Raro and many other ECDs in Nyamagabe District. Speciose Mukantagara, a caregiver at Icyizere Raro, described the impact of Dufatanye’s recent presence:
“There were also children who had poor nutrition… But… [Dufatanye] began giving us porridge. Porridge is very good for children. You can see the children improving and gaining weight. The children are healthy and happy… Some children do not get porridge at home but receive it here, and that is very helpful.”
Since 2025, in collaboration with the Rwandan National Child Development Agency (NCDA) and local leadership, Dufatanye has supervised all the ECDs in Nyanza District. Recently, Dufatanye expanded to managing a total of 662 ECDs in 8 sectors of Nyamagabe District, including Icyizere Raro, providing vital leadership and resources.
Florence Iradukunda, another caregiver at Icyizere Raro, recounted the challenges they had without access to an ECD: “Before [Dufatanye] arrived here… we used to go to work in the fields with the children. They made it difficult for us… Now, a parent leaves the child here and goes to do their activities without any problem, working peacefully until the time comes to pick up the child.” Mothers are expected to care for their children, manage the home, and support their families simultaneously. However, ECDs remove one of those burdens and give parents valuable time to earn income without worrying about their children’s safety.
The ECD program, headed by the NCDA, aims to provide nutritious sustenance to children and prevent childhood stunting, promote hygienic environments for kids, and give a safe environment to grow and learn. Dufatanye helps to achieve these aims by building kitchen gardens, providing porridge, training caregivers in proper teaching techniques and safe care methods, and renovating sanitation facilities.
When Dufatanye arrived in Nyamagabe, toilets and bathrooms at ECDs were deteriorating, putting children and caregivers at risk. Florence Iradukunda, another caregiver at Icyizere Raro, depicted what their toilet looked like just a month prior: “Before it was really bad; it was muddy… It was made of wood, and the floor was not paved.” Renovating a single toilet costs about 3 million RWF (over 2,000 USD), which most people in rural Rwanda cannot afford.
The right shows the new, renovated ECD toilets facilitated by Dufatanye.
To address this problem Dufatanye took action in February and renovated their toilet. Iradukunda continued saying, “But now you can see it has cement on the floor and it is roofed. It has iron sheets, a good door, and inside there is a SaTo [Safe Toilet] pan.” Now, Icyizere Raro has a secure, clean, and reliable lavatory along with 29 other ECDs in Nyamagabe. Dufatanye has assessed 114 sanitation facilities and is prioritizing the renovation of 51 toilets to ensure every child has access to decent sanitation facilities.
Still, ECDs and their caregivers face challenges due to a lack of funding and access to a nearby water source. For example, only 114 ECD bathrooms have been assessed out of the 662 total ECDs in Nyamagabe. In time Dufatanye plans to assess all toilets in these sectors and facilitate necessary improvements. Additionally, caregivers have their own families and are basically volunteering their time to support their community. They are given only a small sum of money every three months, which is not nearly enough to support their ECD alone. The toilets also require water for flushing, which must be gathered with jerry cans kilometers away, adding another burden to ECDs. Despite these challenging conditions, ECDs continue to persevere and give young children a space to grow and thrive. Dufatanye remains committed to expanding access to ECDs in Nyamagabe District and improving their conditions and overall quality.