The Bible Society of Rwanda is stepping up efforts to mobilise local funding to sustain Bible distribution, as declining support from international donors threatens to make the Scriptures less accessible to communities that cannot afford them.

Viateur Ruzibiza, the society's secretary-general, said the organisation was reaching out to local supporters and encouraging fundraising initiatives to bridge the financing gap as some international donors shift their priorities.

"Some donors may be shifting their priorities, but we are engaging others, particularly local supporters. We are mobilising people to contribute through local fundraising to fill the gap left by international donors," he said.

The society, whose membership includes Catholic, Anglican, Adventist, Pentecostal and other churches, works with partners to make Bibles available to communities, particularly vulnerable families, children and young people.

Its members include nine Catholic dioceses, 10 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Pentecostal Church of Rwanda (ADEPR) and 10 other churches.

Ruzibiza said partnerships with organisations such as Compassion International Rwanda and Community Bible Study (CBS) were helping expand Bible distribution and promote Scripture reading among children and young people.

"Our joint mission is to bring Bibles to communities," he said.

Beyond distributing Bibles, the partnerships provide study materials and training to encourage young people to read and understand biblical teachings.

Ruzibiza said investing in children's access to the Bible was particularly important because of its potential to influence future generations.

"We started with children because when you raise children with the Word of God, you transform the community for the next generation," he said.

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High costs limit access to Bibles

The cost of Bibles remains a major obstacle for some families, particularly those with limited financial resources.

According to Ruzibiza, Rwanda imports Bibles from countries including South Korea and China, with production and shipping costs contributing to their retail prices.

"The Bible is the Word of God, but producing it also involves human effort and materials. There is the scripture, the paper, the cover and other production costs. There are also shipping costs because we do not produce Bibles locally in Rwanda," he explained.

A standard Bible sells for about Rwf10,000, a subsidised price that is lower than its full production and distribution cost.

Some Catholic editions cost around Rwf15,000, while larger editions and those with additional features, such as zips, larger print or leather covers, can be more expensive.

Prices generally range between Rwf10,000 and Rwf20,000, depending on the edition and format.

Ruzibiza said support from other Bible societies, including the American Bible Society, and individual donors helps the organisation subsidise prices and provide free copies to those unable to purchase them.

He said the society remained committed to finding alternative sources of funding to sustain distribution.

"As long as Bibles are available, it means we are finding ways to bridge the funding gap. That is why we are here: to help fill that gap," he said.

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Children benefit from free Bible distribution

One of the initiatives helping improve access is Community Bible Study (CBS), a programme implemented in partnership with the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Compassion International Rwanda and the Bible Society of Rwanda.

The programme provides children and young people with free Bibles and study materials to encourage individual, group and family Bible reading.

James Bahati, the project director working under the Anglican Church of Rwanda, said the initiative was designed to help young people develop a regular habit of reading and studying the Bible.

"It is a way for children and young people to read their Bibles. They study the Bible together through communities and small groups," he said.

Participants receive Bibles they can take home and read with their parents, alongside CBS study books containing questions based on biblical passages.

The materials are intended to help children better understand the Scriptures while encouraging discussions about biblical teachings within families.

Bahati said the programme was particularly valuable in communities where many households struggle to afford a Bible.

"In this village, of course, the Bible is very expensive for them. I think a Bible costs about Rwf20,000. For people from this village, it is not easy to get one," he said.

He said at least 250 children had received free Bibles at the Anglican Church's Gishuro congregation, describing the distribution as an important step towards improving access to religious study materials.

The programme also seeks to strengthen family involvement in children's religious education by encouraging parents and children to read and discuss the Bible together.

Previous appeal amid declining donor support

The latest fundraising efforts follow concerns raised by the Bible Society of Rwanda in 2023 over declining donor contributions and rising Bible production costs.

At the time, the society reported an 80 per cent decline in the number of donors and said Bible prices had increased by 200 per cent following a reduction in financial support.

It subsequently appealed to Rwandans at home and abroad to contribute towards printing more Bibles in Kinyarwanda.

Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, who was then serving as president of the Bible Society of Rwanda, urged local communities to support efforts to make the Scriptures more accessible.

The society had previously indicated that donations covered approximately 85 per cent of Bible printing costs, allowing copies to be sold at subsidised prices.

It warned that reduced sponsorship could push prices beyond the reach of many households.

The Bible Society of Rwanda has previously reported producing about 200,000 copies annually.

The organisation's work serves a predominantly Christian population. Figures cited in earlier reports indicated that more than 92 per cent of Rwanda's population of approximately 13 million identified as Christian in 2022.