Building Tomorrow will contextualize its proven Roots to Rise literacy and numeracy program in a second country of operation.
(KIGALI, Rwanda) May 5, 2025 – Building Tomorrow (BT) announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rwanda’s Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) to support enhanced literacy and numeracy programming for children in Rwanda. This landmark announcement underscores BT’s commitment to improving access to quality education and fostering sustainable development of education opportunities for learners in rural communities in East Africa.
“We are thrilled to announce this partnership, which will introduce the Community Education Team (CET) model to Rwanda and further elevate our commitment to foundational learning,” said Joseph Kaliisa, BT’s Co-Founder and Uganda Country Director.
Complementing continued scaling of the organization’s proven locally-led model in Uganda, where more than 650,000 learners have been reached to date, this milestone project begins the next chapter of BT’s work. BT commits to launching Roots to Rise, its signature foundational learning program, and to reaching more than 68,000 Rwandan learners by 2028. The MoU further outlines how BT will establish its programmatic strategy centered on community-powered education in Rwanda in close partnership with MINEDUC.
“Building Tomorrow’s proven programming will no doubt be pivotal in supporting learners with the critical literacy and numeracy skills they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond. It is a privilege to work with Rwandan communities to lead this work,” said Benjamin Setaha, BT Program Manager for Rwanda.
The Roots to Rise program is a targeted instruction program that takes place over 40 instructional hours and is delivered in schools and communities by teachers and Community Education Volunteers (CEVs), respectively, targeting lower primary learners and incorporating inclusive learning practices. In Uganda in 2024, nearly 90% of learners who completed a Roots to Rise camp cycle advanced at least one level of literacy and/or numeracy with over 60% reaching the minimum proficiency level compared to 12% at baseline, marking remarkable progress in combating learning poverty. In 2024 alone, CEVs contributed more than 960,000 hours to supporting education in their communities in Uganda. BT will mobilize Rwandan communities via its CEV program, working to create sustainable change.
“While we have lifted nearly half a million children out of learning poverty, our work is far from over, and we are excited to take this next step in Building Tomorrow,” said George Srour, Co-Founder and Chief Dreamer. “We look forward to working with local communities in Rwanda to ensure that all ships rise, together.”
ABOUT BUILDING TOMORROW
Founded in 2006, Building Tomorrow supports community-powered foundational learning in East Africa. Through the organization’s signature Roots to Rise (R2R) literacy and numeracy program delivered in classrooms and community settings, Building Tomorrow has enrolled more than 650,000 learners since the start of the program. Building Tomorrow’s work is powered by a team of over 17,000 Community Education Volunteers, in partnership with teachers and local and national-level stakeholders. Building Tomorrow is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rwanda: Benjamin Setaha
benjamin.setaha@buildingtomorrow.org
Uganda: Emmanuel Kizaale
emmanuel.kizaale@buildingtomorrow.org
Global: Jyl Strong
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