YOU ARE INVITED TO RWANDA

Bring your team to Rwanda, whether you represent a church mission group, a company team with international outreach goals, a circle of friends and family, or a student group eager to broaden your global perspective, we welcome your presence. If you sponsor a student through Friends of Handicap Rwanda, we encourage you to visit Rwanda and meet them in person.  Our Rwandan team is dedicated to collaborating with you to organize and host a meaningful trip that revolves around our organization’s mission.

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Visiting students in Rwanda is an opportunity to grow that sponsors will cherish
 for many years to come!

A Transforming Travel

Visiting Rwanda with FHR transforms life

Our trips are designed with intentionality, before embarking on your journey, Friends of Handicap Rwanda provides pre-trip learning and reflection opportunities to prepare travelers for the experience. While in Rwanda, we encourage you to adopt a learning-focused approach. 

Our trips are not about fixing problems; instead, we emphasize authentic and equitable engagement with both our organization’s staff and the individuals we serve. You will gain a deeper understanding of our organization’s work and how your support and partnership contribute to improving the lives of many. 

Friends of Handicap Rwanda aims to create connections, nurture personal growth, and deepen spiritual development during your visit.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR TRIP

Each trip schedule depends on team composition and the needs of the Organization in Rwanda. We want to use each team’s gifts, heart, and passion! The specific focus and activities of the trip will depend on the dynamics of the team. Below are activities that most teams will participate in:

  • Visit a Genocide Memorial, commonly, the Nyamata Memorial or the Kigali Genocide Memorial
  • Work with the students at school in different fun activities including; Painting some school spaces, Planting gardens, baking, helping in organizing workshops at our communities that we serve according to your profession, teaching students, weaving, playing different games at schools( Football, volley ball, basketball), offering sign language trainings
  • Visit the Umutara Deaf School & Kayonza Deaf blind Centre ( https://www.fhrwanda.org/)
  • Participate in Home Visits in Our Outreach programs - this is an opportunity for sponsors to meet their sponsored student
  • Visit communities where Friends of Handicap Rwanda works
  • Visiting Fika CafĂ© and Rwandan culture shop
  • Organizing trips to visit different touristic destinations in Rwanda such as Volcanoes National park, Akagera National park, Lake Kivu, King’s palace museum, Nyungwe National park etc.
  • Attend church in our Church inclusion Program

FURTHER READING: TEAM TRIP GUIDE

In order to learn more about what to expect as you prepare to visit Rwanda, please review our online TEAM TRIP GUIDE. Here you will learn about Rwandan culture, travel, and trip preparation.
Click here to view our Team Trip Frequently Asked Questions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
For information about Inclusive Workshops and Training Camps trips, church trips,
Community Outreach and Awareness Trips, Talent Show and Cultural Exchange Trips;
please e-mail (friends@fhrwanda.org) or fill out the form below.

The average trip with FHR is 8 days on the ground. Please factor in one day for travel on either
end to get to and from Rwanda.

Each team member should expect to raise or pay $1,450 plus excursions minus airfare for an 8 day, 8 night trip. For variations of trip length, the cost will change +/- $75 per day as adjusted from the 8 days.

Typical airfare routes take between 24 and 40 hours to get from the United States to Kigali, Rwanda. Also it depends where you coming from

If you are interested in traveling, please email friends@fhrwanda.org

FHR trips are relationally focused. Trip goals and objectives are centered on this pillar of learning
rather than doing. All trips have a focus on developing relationships with where we serve in
Rwanda

Yes. It is culturally appropriate to bring a gift for your sponsored student when you visit their
home. We ask all gifts fit in a small backpack. Appropriate items include sports equipment,
clothes, school supplies, books, card games, jump ropes, pictures of your family, etc.
Inappropriate items include shampoo, toiletries or cosmetics like nail polish or perfume,
medicine, vitamins, candy or money.

FHR patterns with JUDITH Accommodation Guest House in the capital city of Kigali where we
house the teams that come to serve. The house has beds, running water, Wi-Fi, and electricity.
Read more about our Guest House. While serving with FHR in Rwanda we have different
accommodations to stay in according to the day of the trip.

If you are interested in traveling, please email friends@fhrwanda.org

Yes.

Yes. It is culturally appropriate to bring a gift for your sponsored student when you visit their
home. We ask all gifts fit in a small backpack. Appropriate items include sports equipment,
clothes, school supplies, books, card games, jump ropes, pictures of your family, etc.
Inappropriate items include shampoo, toiletries or cosmetics like nail polish or perfume,
medicine, vitamins, candy or money.

No. FHR will provide transportation for the team once in country.

There are cooks who prepare the majority of meals that you will have during your trip. The food is
prepared tasty and safely! Please expect to try local cuisines as well as some Western style
foods.

Anyone under the age of 14 may only travel to Rwanda with a parent. Anyone between the
ages of 15-18 may only travel to Rwanda with a parent, guardian, or qualified youth leader.
Youth teams are required to have a ratio of 1 adult for every 4 minors.

The primary national language in Rwanda is Kinyarwanda, which everyone grows up learning.
English, Swahili, and French are also national languages. There will be translators provided for
those that only speak Kinyarwanda.

Yes. Families with children are more than welcome to come to Rwanda. It is up to the discretion
of the parents to know if the children have the maturity and disposition to benefit from and serve
on the team.

The climate in Rwanda is pleasurably consistent due to its close proximity to the equator. Expect
temperatures to average between 75-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Rwanda has two main rainy
seasons (March to April and September to December).

No. We welcome anyone to travel with FHR. However, we ask that all people traveling with us
are respectful of our organization’s Values (https://www.fhrwanda.org/about/ )

The majority of your time will be spent in a few of the communities that FHR operates in. FHR is
currently operating in Kigali, Kayonza, Gatsibo, Rwamagana, and Nyagatare

Doing proper research before you travel internationally is of great benefit. We require you to
read great reads on Rwanda as a nation include Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza and Land of
a Thousand Hills by Rosamund Carr.

Yes. Funds raised toward this trip can be done through our office. More information on
fundraising will be provided for you when you are a committed traveler with FHR.
(https://fhrwanda.org/contact-us/)

This depends. You are welcome to reach out to those organizations and arrange for a visit. Each
organization has a unique process to set up a visit with a sponsored student. That visit will be
facilitated outside of FHR. If you are approved through their system, then we can help you select
the best date to visit the student with that organization.

4 Months before your trip.