By Seif Gracien Hasingizwimana/Kigali/Rwanda
Globally, wetlands have disappeared at alarming rates, with roughly a third lost between 1970 and 2015 due to urbanisation, agriculture, infrastructure expansion, pollution, and climate change.
Rwanda has not been spared. Its capital, Kigali, has 37 wetlands covering 9,160 hectares, but rapid urban growth has severely degraded many of them.
Rwampala Wetland, for example, shrank from 24 hectares in 1987 to 7.7 hectares in 2018 as nearby built-up areas expanded by 77%, according to the University of Rwanda study Analysis of Urban Growth and Its Effects on Wetlands in Rwanda.
Farming, unregulated dumping, and clearing of native vegetation further degraded soil and water quality, weakening the wetland’s natural ability to regulate floods, filter pollutants, support biodiversity, and recharge groundwater.
“If Rwampala Wetland and the other four degraded wetlands—Gikondo, Rugenge–Rwintare, Kibumba, and Nyabugogo—in Kigali are not restored, 220,000 people would be at risk of floods and water supply crises,” the study warns.
Wetlands play a vital role in climate adaptation.
Emmanuel Bugingo, Founder of Partners for Conservation. He says that they act as natural sponges by absorbing excess rainwater and releasing it slowly, which helps prevent flooding, especially in urban areas.
“Wetlands also filter polluted water, improve air quality, and provide habitats for many plant and animal species,” he said.
Data from the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) indicates that between 2018 and 2020, floods claimed over 100 lives nationwide, with Kigali’s wetland-adjacent communities being the hardest hit. However, since 2021, the number of affected residents has been decreasing. This is attributed to the government’s proactive relocation of households from high-risk zones to model villages and the ongoing rehabilitation of the Nyandungu and Gikondo wetlands.
For instance, Beatrice Mukamana, who lives in Gikondo near the Rwampara wetland, says that life for her and her family used to be very difficult before measures were taken to rehabilitate wetlands and install proper drainage systems.
“Whenever it rained heavily, water would flood into our house. Sometimes we had to spend the night sitting on chairs, afraid that the water would rise and reach our beds. It was especially hard for women like the children and me, because we were the ones left at home. We had to deal with the exhausting task of finding water and taking care of the family during floods.”
She adds that the flooding caused many problems, including soil erosion, destruction of crops, and serious disruptions to family life. At times, even fetching water became dangerous, as people feared being swept away by the floods.
“Women and children were the most affected. We were responsible for fetching water, cooking, and protecting what little we had during those difficult times.”
Today, however, things have changed.
“Thanks to government efforts to restore wetlands and improve water drainage systems, our lives are much better. Water no longer enters our homes, and our neighborhood feels safer. We no longer live in constant fear of flooding like before. This has given us hope and helped us understand the importance of protecting wetlands and the environment.”
Ntakiyimana Vianney, a retailer in Nyabugogo, explains, “Before the construction of the drainage system, rainwater would flood the area, entering the shop and damaging goods. One day, rainwater destroyed over 800,000 Rwandan Francs worth of products. I had to build a barrier to prevent water from entering, but it still didn’t solve the problem.”
He adds, “In the past, when it rained, water from Nyamirambo would flood into Nyabugogo. However, now that the drainage system has been built, water is diverted properly, preventing damage. I appreciate the government’s intervention.”
The impact of flooding is significant for small businesses. According to research from the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR Rwanda), small businesses lose 178.2 million Rwandan Francs annually due to flooding, especially in areas like Nyabugogo and Gatsata.
The city of Kigali has spent 7.7 billion Rwandan Francs to improve the drainage system, such as the Mpazi drainage near Nyabugogo, reducing flooding in the area and providing relief to local businesses.
Kigali also invested 2 billion Rwandan Francs in relocating and resettling people affected by flooding from the Mpazi River to protect their lives. The city plans to spend between 100 and 150 million dollars to upgrade Nyabugogo’s bus station to make it more resilient to flooding.
Alphonsine Niyomukiza is one of the workers at the Rwampara wetland. She moved to Kigali from Musanze District in search of better opportunities. Her role involves
preventing people from crossing through the wetland and stopping illegal grazing.
She believes that once the wetland is fully restored, it will create opportunities and improve livelihoods, especially for women who are willing to seek work there.
“I came here from Musanze after losing my previous job. Life was not easy. But I realized that if you want a better future, you have to keep trying and make use of your abilities.”
She says that working at the wetland has already begun to change her life.
“I believe things will improve for me. This job has also taught me the importance of protecting the environment.”
Alphonsine notes that the wetland is already showing signs of recovery. “When I first arrived, there were no birds here. Now, they are slowly coming back.”
Her daily responsibilities include ensuring that children do not swim in dangerous water areas and monitoring activity in the wetland to keep people safe.
However, she also faces challenges. “Sometimes people don’t take me seriously because I’m a woman. It can be difficult to stop others from entering the wetland. Some don’t listen, and unfortunately, there’s a tendency for women to undermine each other.”
She suggests that installing clear barriers or signs would help. “If people see visible warnings, they will understand that entering the wetland is not allowed, and they can also pass that information on to others.”
Despite the challenges, Alphonsine says the job has brought positive changes. “I’ve met new people, gained confidence, and improved my living conditions. When you don’t have a job, people often look down on you. But now I can support myself, I can buy personal items, and pay my rent. Before, I depended entirely on my parents.”
She also emphasizes the broader importance of wetland conservation. “Protecting wetlands matters to me because they support biodiversity.
As wildlife returns, it can attract tourists, generate income for the country, and create jobs for young people.”
She encourages other young women to take part in environmental protection. “Young people should step up and take care of the environment. We are the future, and we are the ones who will benefit from it.”
She also advises households to manage waste properly and avoid dumping it in wetlands, as this causes serious damage.
Marie Claire Nyirarukundo is one of the women who received training, and she explains that her motivation for joining came from witnessing the steady degradation of the environment.
She noticed increasing soil erosion, a decline in forest cover, and the growing impact of climate change.
“I wanted to understand how data can be used to explain these challenges, and support evidence-based decision-making,” she says.
Marie Claire adds that the training she received from Green Rwanda Initiative helped her realize how valuable data is in monitoring environmental issues and identifying sustainable solutions. Through the program, she learned how to collect reliable environmental data, analyze it, and use it to plan conservation activities.
“We also learned how to use digital tools for data collection, how to analyze information, and how to present it in a way that helps decision-makers better understand both the problem and possible solutions,” she explains.
To illustrate this, Marie Claire shares an example of a project she carried out after the training:
“After completing the training, I conducted a data collection activity on soil degradation in our community.
The findings helped us organize a tree-planting campaign and encouraged residents to adopt erosion control practices such as contour farming and planting both fruit trees and forest trees.”
She also mentions some of the challenges they faced, including limited access to proper data collection tools and a lack of awareness among some community members about the importance of data.
“We addressed this by running awareness campaigns to show how data collection connects to their own development. We also relied on simple tools like mobile phones to gather information.”
Marie Claire highlights the positive changes she has observed within her family and community as a result of the knowledge she gained:
“Because of what we learned, people are beginning to understand the importance of protecting the environment. More trees are being planted, and some farmers have started adopting practices that prevent soil degradation.”
She notes that these efforts have already led to noticeable improvements in environmental management in her area.
When it comes to encouraging other girls, Marie Claire emphasizes that working with data is not reserved for a select few or for men only.
“This is knowledge that can empower anyone to contribute to environmental protection. When girls gain skills in mathematics and data analysis, they can become researchers, project leaders, and advocates for the environment in their daily lives.”
Looking ahead, Marie Claire says her long-term goal is to continue using data to design and implement projects that protect the environment and address climate change.
“I also want to support young people, especially girls, in learning how to use data to solve environmental challenges so that we can build a more sustainable future,” she concludes.
Government projects like those led by REMA engage youth through a three-pillar approach: advocacy via school environmental clubs, green job creation in physical restoration, and innovation support. Specifically, the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) provides grants for youth-led startups focusing on climate resilience, while the Kigali Urban Development Project (KUDP) prioritizes hiring local youth for manual restoration tasks. The Ministry of Youth and Arts also partners with REMA to train ‘Green Ambassadors’ who lead community-based climate adaptation projects.
Germaine Mukasibo of REMA explained that the government supports youth through Environmental clubs in schools and universities.
“REMA collaborates with the Rwanda Education Board to integrate environmental topics into curricula and encourage research. Some universities and polytechnics, together with REMA and donors, have been provided with materials to support learning. Schools assisted by REMA have safely disposed of 63 tonnes of hazardous waste.”
Dr. Guillaume Nyagatare, Principal of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Sciences (CAFF), notes that universities play a significant role in conservation.
Lecturers work closely with students to study, understand, and analyse wetlands through field visits and formal coursework. Students organise themselves into groups to clean wetlands, remove plastic and invasive plants, plant trees along edges, and sensitise local communities,” he explained.
“Environmental clubs implement wetland conservation programmes, study biodiversity, conduct research, develop small projects, and commemorate international environmental days. They participate in clean-ups, tree planting, and awareness campaigns,” Nyagatare added.
Henriette Mbabazi highlighted how girls go beyond conservation, engaging in income-generating activities such as transforming old clothes and other wetland waste into usable products.
She said, “As girls, we do not face any unusual barriers. In many cases, where we may have certain weaknesses, our male colleagues support us and help fill those gaps, which allows us to go even further. Some tasks require physical strength that we may not always have, but together we can overcome those challenges.”
She went on to explain that if young people were given adequate training in using modern technological tools that measure soil moisture, acidity, and other related conditions, it would help them identify land that is most at risk of erosion.
“We would also be able to determine which types of trees are best suited to different kinds of soil, especially as members of the environmental protection club at the University of Rwanda.”
She added, “Our efforts have gone beyond simply protecting the environment. We are also focusing on activities that can improve our livelihoods while still caring for nature. For example, instead of burning old clothes and polluting the air, we reuse them by turning them into carpets and other useful items.”
Jean Félix Mugisha Rugango, CEO of Green Rwanda Initiative, said his organisation is restoring 500 hectares of wetlands and degraded land, planting over one million trees, and engaging 1,000 Youth Green Fellows in Climate-Smart Urban Planning initiatives.
He explains that a data-driven conservation approach has been used in wetland protection efforts. Information collected from trainees is carefully analyzed and verified.
“This approach showed that out of 58 trained participants, 41 were women and 17 were men. All of them gained the knowledge and skills needed to protect wetlands, including proper land management and applying evidence-based environmental strategies.”
He adds that the training focuses on practical skills such as water management, soil conservation, and using data to guide decision-making.
“We also teach participants how to collect and analyze data, and how to use statistics to make informed environmental decisions. This enables them to take meaningful action in their communities.”
According to him, women and girls tend to apply what they learn more consistently than men, especially in their households and communities.
“This is because many women are highly motivated to improve their living conditions. They are eager to learn, follow data-driven strategies, and take thoughtful, practical steps to protect the environment.”
Concorde Kubwimana, founder of the Save Environment Initiative (SEI), said students pooled savings from casual jobs to fund projects, with universities providing land for tree nurseries that now create green jobs for women and youth.
“Community engagement is central. We collaborate with schools, the National Youth Council, and women to build ownership of environmental projects,” he noted.
Pascal Nteziyaremye, a member of a youth environmental club, explained that intensive farming, construction, and climate change had caused extensive damage.
“We plant key tree species in degraded wetlands and train youth in wetland conservation techniques. We have also been removing plastic waste from the wetland. If the wetlands remain clogged with plastic, it could trigger water crises and disasters such as flooding. Restoring the wetlands is vital for strengthening urban resilience,” he said.
Elisee Nzimurinda, Chairperson of the Youth Climate Action Initiative, added, “We have mobilised over 250 young people to help combat plastic pollution in the wetlands through Umuganda community work. The activities are carried out every month.”
Idrissa Habimana, a local leader in Gacyamo Cell, Gitega Sector, Nyarugenge District, said, “Youth play a significant role in helping the government achieve wetland restoration targets efficiently. The costs that the government would normally incur are reduced because the youth are united and committed to voluntary work. They are well-known, organised, and trusted locally.”
How youth share knowledge and ideas about environmental conservation
Julius Ndahimana, a 21-year-old first-year student at the University of Rwanda studying Journalism and Communication, says that as a young man involved in environmental protection activities, he and his fellow students have carried out several initiatives to restore degraded land.
These activities include planting mixed tree species, clearing water channels during the rainy season, and planting grasses and flowers that help prevent soil erosion.
“As young men, our strength often shows in physically demanding tasks during land restoration, such as clearing drainage channels where rainwater passes.”
According to him, these efforts help speed up the restoration of damaged land and ensure the work is done effectively.
Julius also emphasizes that environmental protection efforts involve both boys and girls working together. They collaborate on activities such as tree planting, waste collection, community awareness campaigns, and sharing constructive ideas to protect the environment.
He adds, “So far, we do not yet have advanced technology that is very different from
what our parents used to reduce environmental degradation caused by human activities. However, we can use social media platforms to raise awareness and encourage people around the world to fight environmental destruction.”
Contribution of young girls in environmental conservation
Claudine Mujawimana, Secretary of the Environmental Club, said, “Women and girls are known for being innovative. We bring ideas for restoring degraded areas and improving cleanliness. Where we lack physical strength, our male colleagues complement us, enabling us to undertake tasks that require less energy.”
We transform worn-out or damaged clothes by giving them new colors or redesigning them. Sometimes we turn the fabric into other useful items such as carpets, vases, or other decorative pieces.
In the community, instead of throwing away or burning old clothes, which would harm the environment, people give them to us. We then buy or collect the clothes they no longer wear so that we can recycle them.
The quantity is not very large yet, but we have already gathered enough materials. Once everything is prepared, we can start producing new items from them.
On average, the profit is about 30% of the total investment. For example, if we invest 300,000 Rwandan francs, the profit would be 30% of that amount.
The profit we earn is reinvested into the business, and the remaining portion helps us address some of the challenges we face as students at the university.
Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, spokesperson for the City of Kigali, emphasised youth participation in quarterly Umuganda and environmental clean-ups.
“Our city policies, including the Land Use Master Plan and wetland conservation regulations, support youth involvement. Protecting wetlands is not only an environmental necessity but also a civic responsibility,” she said.
She added, “Social media and technology play a crucial role in sharing knowledge, networking, securing funding, and developing innovative solutions. Platforms for collaboration enable youth to transform ideas into action, whether through tree planting, wetland restoration, or awareness campaigns.”
Progress on Kigali’s wetlands
Rehabilitation of Kigali’s five major wetlands is now 75% complete, with full completion expected in 2026. The project has created 5,917 jobs so far, nearly half for women, and is projected to exceed 12,000 jobs.
Rwampala is 38% complete, Gikondo 70%, Rugenge–Rwintare 62%, Kibumba 76%, and Nyabugogo 59%. According to the Kigali Urban Wetland Master Plan, at least 20% of the city’s wetlands, 15.76 square kilometres, must be rehabilitated to restore ecological quality. More than 220,500 residents are expected to benefit through reduced flooding and improved water access.
Rwanda’s wetland protection is backed by the 2018 Environmental Law, the Land Use Master Plan, the National Wetlands Management Framework, and specific buffer zone regulations. In January 2024, 35 key swamplands were designated fully protected areas. The Kigali City Wetland Master Plan is projected to generate more than USD 155 million annually.
These policies align with the global Paris Agreement goals, as Rwanda aims to reduce emissions by 38% by 2030. Regionally, it supports the AU Agenda 2063 (Sustainable Africa). This restoration is also a matter of climate justice; Rwanda seeks $11 billion for climate action because youth, who contributed least to global emissions, are now bearing the brunt of the climate crisis. The effectiveness of these policies is visible in transformed sites like Nyandungu. While 80% of residents are aware of laws prohibiting wetland encroachment, the government continues to increase local-level sensitization on sustainable land use.
Under its updated Nationally Determined Contribution, presented at COP30, Rwanda estimates it will require USD 12 billion by 2035 for climate action. Rehabilitated wetlands serve as both carbon sinks and frontline defences against climate impacts.
Across Africa, broader frameworks such as Agenda 2063, the African Union Climate Change Strategy (2022–2032), and the Great Green Wall Initiative reinforce the continent’s push for ecological restoration and climate resilience.
As Kigali races to restore its wetlands, youth are emerging not just as volunteers, but as architects of a greener, more resilient urban future.
Rwanda is placing young people at the centre of its climate response, embedding youth action across national development and environmental strategies. Through Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation II, the government of Rwanda links green growth to youth employment, skills development, and entrepreneurship. Climate commitments under the Nationally Determined Contribution and biodiversity actions in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan formally recognise youth as climate actors promoting climate education, green jobs, ecosystem restoration, and youth-led innovation.
Financing is channeled through mechanisms such as FONERWA and the National Climate and Nature Finance Strategy, which mobilise domestic and international resources for climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and green enterprises. By integrating climate action with the National Youth Policy and social protection programmes, Rwanda also frames climate change as a justice issue, protecting vulnerable young people and ensuring intergenerational equity.
On the ground, the policy architecture is strong and coherent, and youth participation in tree planting, green businesses, and climate consultations is visible. However, effectiveness varies. While national funds and public–private partnerships are expanding, many grassroots youth groups still struggle to access climate finance due to limited investment readiness and bureaucratic barriers. Climate justice is embedded in policy language, but equitable access to funding and measurable outcomes for rural and low-income youth remain a work in progress. In short, Rwanda’s strategy is ambitious and structurally sound, but its long-term success will depend on widening financing access and strengthening implementation at the community level.
seif Gracien Hasingizwimana
Email: hasingizwimanashaggy@gmail.com
