Ruanda

The Eni Foundation initiative aims to contribute to the General Objective of the Rwandan Ministry of Health (MoH) to guarantee universal access to high-quality health services at all levels of the country’s health system. In 2022, we signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) to improve maternal and child health, with a focus on managing obstetric and neonatal emergencies.

Total population of 1,583,577 with a particular focus on:

• mothers and children, with the best mother-and-child health services
• other vulnerable groups, including the disabled
• health workers, with capacity-building activities.

The activities planned under the initiative, which will last four and a half years, are supported by a total investment of €6.5 million.

Through this project, the Eni Foundation aims to foster access to and use of mother-and-child health services in the districts of Nyagatare, Musanze, Gisagara and Rulindo, at the community, primary and secondary level of the health system, with a particular focus on the basic and specialist emergency midwifery and neonatal services. The strategy is in line with Rwanda Health Sector Strategic Plans and was drawn up jointly with local health authorities, at central and district level.

The project is divided into two main components.

1. The health infrastructure component

• construction of 13 maternity blocks in the 4 selected districts and supply of medical equipment
• provision of 4 ambulances.

2. The capacity building component

• support for community health reforms in 1,578 villages, to enable 6,379 health workers to provide promotion, prevention and treatment activities including kit supplies
• training and refresher courses on obstetric and neonatal emergencies for healthcare staff.

As a result of these efforts, in 2025 Eni Foundation was recognised as “best implementer of the year”. Below are some photos of the award presentation and in-community activities.

This community-produced video documents the initiatives to improve access to basic maternal and child health services in the Nyagatare, Musanze, Gisagara and Rulindo districts.

The project’s Capacity Building component is implemented directly by the local Ministry of Health and carried out through its governmental agency, the Rwanda Biomedical Center, and the local association Society for Family Health (SFH) – Rwanda.