As we draft our new year resolutions for 2026, it is imperative that alongside fitness, career goals, and studying harder, we also center the community in which we live. Personal goal-setting is essential because it gives direction, discipline, and hope. Yet as we pursue individual success, we must also remember a value that has long defined us as a nation: community.

Rwanda’s strength has never rested on individual achievement alone. From umuganda (community work) to everyday acts of neighbourliness, our progress has been rooted in collective responsibility. As we write our personal plans and aspirations, we should also ask ourselves a simple but powerful question: What will I do for others?

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Doing something for the community does not require wealth or grand gestures. It can be mentoring a young person, supporting a struggling family, volunteering time, sharing knowledge, or simply showing up where help is needed. These acts may not appear on vision boards or CVs, but their impact is lasting. They strengthen trust, dignity, and social cohesion, which are foundations no economy can function without.

There is a common belief that giving to others delays personal success. In reality, community service can be equally fulfilling, and sometimes even more so. Helping others nurtures empathy, purpose, and a sense of belonging that personal achievements alone cannot provide. It reminds us that success is richer when shared.

As we continue to dream big and work hard, let us embrace a balanced vision of growth, one where personal goals and community contribution walk side by side. When we rise together, no one is left behind, and progress becomes not just visible, but meaningful.