Mount Kigali University (MKU) in partnership with Imbuto Foundation has commissioned a new model Early Childhood Development and Family (ECD&F) Centre in Kinyinya Sector, Gasabo District.

The centre is part of MKU’s efforts to take university knowledge, innovation and technology into communities.

The centre, commissioned on Tuesday, September 8, is the second ECD&F facility constructed by MKU through its partnership with the Imbuto Foundation.

The first centre, in Masaka Sector, Kicukiro District, was launched and operationalised in October 2025. The two centres represent a combined Rwf300 million investment by MKU.

Kinyinya’s centre initially operated from a single room provided by the police during the 2025 Heroes’ Day celebrations. The room could accommodate only 50 children, but more than 100 enrolled because there was no other pre-primary school in the area.

Imbuto Foundation and MKU later added three classrooms and equipped the centre with furniture, outdoor play equipment, a meeting hall, a modern kitchen and sanitation facilities, among others.

The kitchen is also used to train parents to prepare balanced meals.

MKU has also committed Rwf32.76 million to provide milk to children attending the centre for all 52 weeks of the year.

Josiane Nyirahabimana, a representative of the centre, said the expansion had improved the learning environment.

"It provided comfort to children and they were able to study effectively,” she said, adding that the centre now provides a safer and more suitable environment for learning.

Nyirahabimana said the milk support would particularly benefit children who do not regularly receive milk at home.

"Some children did not have access to milk at home, but now they can get it at school, which helps prevent stunted growth,” she said.

The government pays teachers and other staff at the centre, while parents support its day-to-day running through activities including cleaning and providing charcoal for cooking porridge.

Taking university expertise to communities

The ECD project forms part of MKU’s wider strategy to transfer its academic, technological and innovation expertise to communities and address local needs.

The university’s partnership with Imbuto Foundation began in 2018 through the Edified Generation Programme, supporting 100 vulnerable secondary school students through a five-year commitment and providing five university scholarships to young women.

The partnership was renewed in 2022, with its scope expanded to include ECD and Family services.

Mount Kigali University Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Simon Gicharu, said the ECD initiative is aligned with the university’s Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which prioritises community impact, corporate social responsibility, digital transformation, innovation, research and strategic partnerships.

He said these priorities also support Rwanda’s Vision 2050, particularly its focus on human capital development, innovation, technology and building stronger communities.

"Our belief is simple: a university must not only educate students; it must transfer knowledge, innovation and skills to the community and contribute to its wellbeing,” Gicharu said.

The university is now looking to apply its experience in smart classrooms and ICT-enabled learning to early childhood development.

Gicharu said MKU would explore developing a Smart ECD classroom under the next phase of its partnership with Imbuto Foundation.

The proposed classroom would use appropriate technology to support early learning, caregivers, parental engagement and children’s exposure to a future-ready learning environment.

He said the idea was informed by the university’s wider investment in digital transformation, including smart classrooms and an innovation ecosystem covering robotics, virtual reality, drones, journalism studios, computer laboratories and incubation.

"Our next ambition is to transfer some of this knowledge and experience directly into the community,” Gicharu said.

He explained that the proposed smart classroom would not be about simply placing technology in an ECD classroom, but using it to improve how young children learn.

"For young learners, a smart classroom is not simply about putting technology in a classroom; it is about creating an environment that makes learning more engaging, interactive and responsive to the needs of the child,” he said.

Gicharu further noted that appropriate digital tools could help caregivers introduce concepts in more engaging ways, stimulate creativity and curiosity, support different learning needs and give children early and guided exposure to the digital world.

"We want our students, researchers and experts to become part of the solution, taking knowledge from the classroom into the community and bringing community challenges back to the University as opportunities for research and innovation,” Gicharu said.

The university is seeking to extend its partnership with Imbuto Foundation for another five years, with a broader focus on ECD, nutrition, digital learning, innovation, research, skills development and community transformation.

Gicharu said this approach forms part of MKU’s contribution to Rwanda’s Vision 2050 through early investment in human capital, innovation and stronger families and communities.

Parents remain central

Imbuto Foundation Director General Elodie Shami said the benefits of the centres should extend beyond children enrolled in the programme.

She said the partnership would continue to strengthen parents and caregivers so they can provide better care and protection at home.

"This is a beginning where parents and caregivers are empowered to give every child the love, care, and protection that they need to thrive,” Shami noted.

"And above all, we believe that we invest in our children today so that they can shape the brighter future for our next generation.”

National Child Development Agency Director General Assumpta Ingabire said the Kinyinya facility is part of a wider network of ECD services across Rwanda.

There are 32,756 ECD centres across the country, including 374 model centres, she said.

Ingabire said the focus should now be on ensuring that the services offered at such facilities lead to better outcomes for children.

"When a child receives quality early childhood development services, including proper nutrition, healthcare, hygiene, cognitive stimulation, protection, and appropriate upbringing, a strong foundation is built for their life,” she said.

She also reminded parents that ECD centres cannot replace the role of families in children’s development.

"I remind you that no early childhood development center can replace the role of a parent. A parent is a child’s first caregiver, and the love, dedication, and time spent playing and conversing with the child play a vital role in their development,” Ingabire said.

Kigali City Vice Mayor for Socio-Economic Affairs Urujeni Martine said the centre should also help parents improve childcare practices at home.

These include how to communicate with children, prepare nutritious meals, identify developmental difficulties early and protect children from abuse and neglect.

Adeliphine Mukashema, whose twins have attended the centre for a year, said she had seen changes in their development since they joined.

"Our children learn well here and are well cared for, I brought mine when they were two and a half years old, before they could even speak. Now, they speak clearly and do many things that show their growing intelligence and healthy development thanks to the care they receive here,” she said.

Mukashema said the centre had also changed how she prepares food for her family.

"I used to think that cooking well simply meant frying food, but here we received training as parents with children in the programme on how to prepare a balanced diet,” she said.

She added that the knowledge gained at the centre was now being applied at home.