UMUGANDA

The word Umuganda in Kinyarwanda means ‘coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome for the benefit of a person, society or nation’.  In traditional culture, members of Rwandan communities would come together to help friends and neighbours build houses, bridges, roads, schools and churches. This traditional  initiative was revived  after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi as part of efforts to reconstruct Rwanda and to nurture a shared national identity. On the last Saturday of each month from 8am to 11:00am, businesses across Rwanda shut down as able bodied neighbors participate in cleaning streets, maintaining  public spaces and community gardens, and providing acts of service and care for vulnerable community members.

One of our Small Corner program goals is to explore and build reciprocal connections with living things and people in our Mountain View neighborhood. Rwanda provides an amazing example of how intentional neighborhood connections can heal and transform an entire country. We are so inspired by the way Umuganda connects Rwandan neighbors that we wanted to start the program here in our small corner of the world! 

Our Mountain View Umuganda takes place on the last Thursday of each month as we participate in acts of community service for and with our Malabar neighbors.