Rwanda is affectionately known as "the land of a thousand hills" for its rolling hills and majestic landscape. Since the tragic 1994 Rwandan genocide in which 800,000 people were murdered in just 100 days, Rwanda has recovered to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Life expectancy has doubled and deaths of children under the age of 5 have plummeted from 230 deaths per 1,000 children to 55 deaths since 1994. Furthermore, per capita GDP grew at 5% over the decade to 2018, according to the World Bank.
However, despite these advancements, dental care continues to be one of the most crucial needs in Rwanda. In fact: 18% of morbidity cases across all district hospitals are linked to oral diseases that are preventable and curable with access to basic dental care. There are currently 69 dentists to serve the nation's 13.6 million people, which is about one dentist for every 197,000 people; by comparison, the United States has about one dentist per 1,642 people.
Our love for the beautiful country and resilient people of Rwanda inspired us to establish the 1000 Hills Circle, a monthly-giving program to support His Hands On Africa's operations.
Here are some tangible ways your on-going financial support will directly impact the people of Rwanda:
Equipping Compassion Community Dental Clinics with dental equipment and supplies necessary to provide dental care, enabling us to serve thousands of patients per month
Operating mobile dental clinics in remote areas where access to basic dental care is limited
Training and mobilizing Rwandan dentists through education, conferences, and mentoring
Aiding community outreaches enabling the love of Jesus and the Gospel message to be shared
Financing salaries of dedicated Compassion Community Dental Clinic staff including dentists, hygienists, and receptionists as well as US support staff.
Funding the construction of HOPE Dental Center to achieve our long-term goal of establishing sustainable dental care system in Rwanda
Supporting water projects, helping to bring clean drinking water to village communities
Your monthly partnership is crucial as we work together to bring these life-changing services to those most in need in Rwanda. We are committed to bringing excellent dental care while we share the hope and healing of Jesus.
“...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20
[1] 2016 Annual Health Statistics Booklet, Rwandan Ministry of Health