Rwanda has achieved impressive gains in primary school enrollment. However, the number of students moving onto secondary school falls short of goals, especially for girls. The numbers are particularly alarming in rural areas. The leaders of Rwanda are committed to gender parity and promoting the status of women. Yet, despite this commitment, and widespread understanding of the specific challenges in the education sector, large-scale efforts to effect changes in education in Rwanda are limited.

When Rwandan leaders invited us to join the nation’s post genocide transformation by enriching and improving education for girls, and to help expand the pool of talented capable women, we saw both the need and the foundation for success.

In Rwanda, following the genocide, it was the women, many with little or no education, who were often left to pick up the pieces. They found themselves in new leadership roles as heads of households, primary wage earners, and leaders in government. Rwanda now has the highest percentage of women in parliament of any country in the world.

A new generation of girls needs to be educated to continue this leadership. Research highlights 7th grade as the age when educational intervention can make a critical difference in a child’s life. The Maranyundo School is preparing its students to be the next generation of women leaders in Rwanda.