Meet primary school teacher, Peter

Muraho (Hello)! My name’s Diane and I’m a VSO volunteer working to support children with disabilities and special educational needs in my home country of Rwanda. I’m delighted to be taking you forward on your sponsor a volunteer journey. Read on to find out more about me and my role, and the difference your support is making for children and families here.

August's featured volunteer

VSO volunteer Diane and teacher Olivier.

In this update, you’ll meet primary school teacher Olivier and hear how your support has transformed his confidence and approach to teaching. I’ll also tell you about my summer of celebrations and give you a peek into daily life as a VSO volunteer. 

Rwanda VSO pin badge

I’m delighted to be volunteering with VSO and to have the opportunity to share my experiences with you all. I’ve worked in education for several years, supporting children with special educational needs. When I heard about VSO’s early education project here, I knew I wanted to be part of it. This felt like my chance to help every child get the learning and life opportunities they deserve. Thank you for standing with me and helping to make a positive impact in my home country. 

Too many children in Rwanda still repeat the first year of primary school because they have had no or little quality pre-primary education. Every day they aren’t building the solid foundations needed to flourish in education, they're trapped deeper in the cycle of poverty. With your support, my colleagues and I are leading a range of training to support teachers to give young children the early education they deserve. Through the use of storytelling, puzzles, role-play and games, we’re helping teachers see how play supports a child’s development, not just academically, but socially and emotionally too. Working alongside other organisations, we’re part of an incredible movement to create long-lasting change.

August '25 volunteer update

Landscape image of lush green fields and mountains of Volcanoes National Park.
The lush green fields and beautiful mountains of Volcanoes National Park.

A summer of celebrations

What a few weeks it has been! It's the summer holidays in Rwanda, and as a mum of two young children, you can imagine the excitement (and chaos!) around our home. It’s getting warmer here too, so we've been spending lots of family time outdoors. 

We recently visited relatives near Lake Kivu, which is in a volcanic national park on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. We went on a fun boat trip and attended the annual gorilla naming ceremony - "Kwita Izina " (“to give a name”) – a special celebration of our great apes. 

Summer holds several national holidays for us too. Rwanda Independence Day on July 1st is an important day of national pride, where communities gather to hear the president’s speech and watch traditional dances. We've also just celebrated Umuganura - National Harvest Day – which is a time to come together with our neighbours to give thanks for the crops. This year I cooked a big meal for 15 guests. It was a lot of work but a joyful day as I love cooking and entertaining. 
 

Helping every student thrive

Before the holidays, my role with VSO was very busy. It was exam time for students, so I supported teachers to think about how to adapt the tests for children with additional needs. For example, giving extra time or offering different ways to complete their exams.

Students stood outside in a circle with their teachers.
Eric Nkurunziza
Students gather outside school with their teachers before their exams.

I also helped introduce "creative corners" into the classrooms. These are special spaces filled with puppets, puzzles, dolls and other materials that encourage creativity. I love watching the children's faces light up when they use these areas. It’s wonderful to see their confidence, independence and social skills growing as they play. With children starting school at just 3 years old in Rwanda, it’s essential that we bring play into the classroom - It’s not just a joyful time, it’s the foundation for how young children learn.

None of this would be possible without your support. Thanks to your generosity, young children of all abilities are getting the inclusive, age-appropriate education they need to learn and thrive.  

Meet primary school teacher, Olivier 

One of the fantastic teachers I’ve supported is Olivier. When we first started working together, Olivier was unsure how to support children with additional needs and struggled with some of his students’ behaviour. Over time, he’s developed the skills and confidence to give his students the best start in life. His story makes me so proud – and reminds me why your kind support is so important…

Primary school teacher Olivier smiling.
Eric Nkurunziza

“Hi, I’m Olivier. When I was a boy, I liked school, but I still remember the challenges. The classes were so crowded, and we often didn't have enough learning materials. Sometimes, we could go a whole semester without touching a single book. Many parents didn't see the value in education, so they didn't encourage their children to come to school.

Today, we still face some of these problems. Our class sizes are very big, and the dropout rate can be high - especially for children with additional needs, or those whose parents don’t see that school is important. But things have started to change since the VSO team arrived.  

Teacher Olivier and his students sat on the floor with a storybook.
Eric Nkurunziza
Teacher Olivier helping children learn to read using an engaging storybook provided by VSO.

Diane has shown me that children learn when they're playing and having fun – especially those who struggle the most. She’s taught me new ways to teach lessons using games, songs and activities. VSO also brought us practical resources like mats, toys and books, which have made a huge difference.

Before VSO’s support, I used to teach my students like they were adults. But Diane showed me that young children learn through play – and that’s how they build important life skills like problem solving, creativity and teamwork.

I feel more confident than ever in my teaching and I’m so proud to see all my students doing so well. The changes we’ve made mean children have the chance to reach their potential and can go on to live happy and independent lives.”

A day in the life as a VSO volunteer

No two days are ever the same in my VSO role, but here’s a glimpse of what a typical day looks like…

6:00 AM Make breakfast and help my children get ready, before preparing for any school or community visits.

8:00 AM Visit one of my schools to observe a class and support teachers in adapting activities for children with special educational needs – for example, simplifying instructions or adding sensory elements.

10:00 AM Meet with the headteacher to discuss any challenges they’re facing - like supporting children who are struggling to concentrate or adjusting for large class sizes.

12:00 PM Run a community session for parents and caregivers to explore how learning through play supports a child’s social and emotional development – and encourage them to bring their children to class.

2:00 PM Break for lunch. I usually have something simple and filling like ugali (a maize porridge), beans and vegetables, or sometimes isombe – cassava leaves cooked with peanut sauce.

3:00 PM Deliver training to teachers and volunteers – covering things like recognising different learning needs, using inclusive play techniques and building confidence in the classroom.

5:00 PM Wrap up with some notes and reflection. I like to think about what worked well, what could improve and how to share successes with my VSO teammates.

It’s a busy but rewarding role. The best part? Seeing a child who once found learning difficult now fully engaged - laughing, joining in and beginning to understand in ways that make sense to them.

 

Diane in the classroom with students sat in a circle on the floor.
Eric Nkurunziza

We couldn't do it without you

As I reflect on these past months, I’m filled with gratitude. Your kindness is changing lives here in Rwanda every day. Teachers like Olivier are gaining confidence, children are thriving, and volunteers like me are getting the chance to create lasting change in our country.

Thank you for standing with us. With your support we’re laying the early learning foundations that will help children across Rwanda fulfil their potential and move on towards brighter futures. Murakoze cyane - thank you so much!

Remember, you can come say hello or ask me any questions by leaving a message below - I'd love to hear from you! 

Until next time, 
Diane

P.S. Enjoyed finding out more about my day-to-day as a VSO volunteer? Hear about what fellow VSO volunteer, Mary, gets up to here.

Diane Uwamahirwe, a national volunteer working in Rwanda

Want to ask a question?

VSO’s Sponsor a Volunteer team will share your message with the VSO volunteer and get back to you with a response. Your email address will not be used, disclosed or transferred to any VSO personnel, it will be stored securely in accordance with VSOs privacy policy. A sample of messages including display names will be published to the Sponsor a Volunteer homepage each month.

Your latest questions answered

SAV User icon
Pauline
Thank you for all the information and pictures about the help you are giving to the children in school in Rwanda. I am particularly interested in the help you are giving to special needs children as my daughter in law is also a special needs teacher.
Diane
Diane Uwamahirwe, a national volunteer working in Rwanda
Hello Pauline,

Thank you for taking the time to leave me a message! I do hope you enjoyed reading my update and looking through all the photos.

It’s lovely to hear that your daughter-in-law is a teacher and also works closely with children with special needs – they are lucky to have her! Teachers are an inspiration and I’m grateful to work with so many amazing teachers here in Rwanda.

I hope you enjoy reading my updates – I look forward to writing to you again.

Diane
SAV User icon
Giles W
Thank you very much for the information you have provided describing your work with VSO in supporting children with special needs. It is very interesting for me to learn about this and to see some pictures of you with some of the children.
Diane
Diane Uwamahirwe, a national volunteer working in Rwanda
Hello Giles,

It is great to hear from you. Thank you for your kind words – they will keep me and the team motivated in continuing to support children here in Rwanda.

I’m glad to hear you enjoyed reading my update and I look forward to writing to you again.

Diane
VSO Volunteer Nitin Singh

We bring about lasting change not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers to empower communities in some of the world’s poorest regions. You can read more about VSO’s areas of work and discover more about our projects here.

Salma and Saad in the the VSO learning centre.

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