Rwanda has lifted approximately 1.5 million people out of poverty over the past seven years, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. The country's poverty rate fell from 39.8% in 2017 to 27.4% in 2024, marking significant progress in reducing hardship across the nation.
Cash assistance programmes have played a role in the improvement. GiveDirectly, an aid organisation, has delivered more than 221.3 billion Rwandan francs (approximately $150 million) in cash assistance since 2016, providing unconditional transfers that allow recipients to decide how to use the money. Eligible adults receive 750,000 Rwandan francs per transfer, roughly $500.
The approach has produced measurable results. A farmer in Musanze district who received assistance used it to buy additional land, expanded his farming activities and diversified into transport work, increasing his household income substantially. He has since cleared debts, bought assets and can afford school fees for his children.
Despite progress, challenges remain. More than a quarter of Rwanda's population still lives in poverty. The World Bank and UNICEF found that sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than three-quarters of the world's children living in extreme poverty, with the region's extreme child poverty rate at approximately 52%. GiveDirectly and the government have launched a five-year partnership targeting five districts with the aim of reducing poverty by 25% across those areas.
Rwanda's social registry, mobile-money infrastructure and government commitment to poverty reduction provide a foundation for expanding cash-based interventions, according to GiveDirectly officials. However, financial assistance works best alongside other investments including market access, cooperatives and public services.