HERITΛGE is proud to announce the launch of Heritage Initiatives Rwanda CBC (HIRWA), a new member of the HERITΛGE extended ecosystem and network in Rwanda.

In line with HERITΛGE’s founding principles, HIRWA is locally managed by a board, ensuring that decisions, priorities, and programmes are shaped by those closest to the country’s heritage and communities. The HIRWA board member are: Gregory Bakunzi, Alice Kamasoni, Cedrick Shema Kabagambe, and Eirini Oikonomidi.

HIRWA aspires to see Rwanda’s cultural heritage safeguarded, celebrated, and sustainably activated as a living source of knowledge, community identity, creativity, resilience, and inclusive economic development for present and future generations. The initiative brings together community engagement, research, education, training, and sustainable development approaches to support the protection and valorisation of heritage across the country. It will also advocate for heritage at local, national, and international levels, while providing policy advice and technical expertise to governments, intergovernmental organisations, and international partners.

The launch builds on HERITΛGE’s long-standing engagement across sub-Saharan Africa. Between 2023 and 2025, HERITΛGE delivered 30 workshops to 771 participants, signed 20 Memoranda of Understanding, and gathered more than 1,100 responses to its Mapping Capacity in Heritage Management survey across the continent. During the same period, HERITΛGE has been working in Africa since 2018. The organization has provided small grants to more than 70 heritage projects across the continent, having received over 2,600 applications for this support, reflecting both the scale of need and the growing demand for heritage capacity-building initiatives and funding across the region.

Heritage Initiatives Rwanda will operate as an independent, locally rooted organisation within the HERITΛGE network, drawing on more than a decade of capacity-building expertise across 38+ countries. As part of this wider ecosystem, some of its activities may also be presented under the Heritage Management Organization network identity.

“We believe heritage is strongest when communities themselves lead its stewardship and future direction. The establishment of Heritage Initiatives Rwanda reflects a shared commitment to locally rooted heritage management, community engagement, and sustainable development,” Eirini Oikonomidi, Project manager, Rwandan projects, noted on behalf of the organization. 

On 10 December 2025, the HERITΛGE Africa Grants Team held the sixth online networking convening for grantees awarded in 2024. The meeting brought together grantees, HERITΛGE staff, members of the Re-granting Committee, representatives of the Mellon Foundation, and other African donors, with 45 attendees. After welcoming remarks by Richard A. Brown, seven grantees shared their projects. These ranged from documenting traditional boat-making in Mauritius and supporting cultural teaching in Senegal to safeguarding heritage industries in Sudan and revitalising museums in Chad and Ghana.

“Hearing the diverse experiences of colleagues across Africa reminded me that we are part of a wider heritage community, facing similar challenges, but also drawing inspiration and new ideas from one another.”

After the presentations, grantees’ refelcted on presenting their work and learning from one another. Participants discussed how the experience of sharing their projects encouraged them to reconsider elements of documentation, community engagement, and youth involvement in heritage work. Several grantees noted that hearing from others sparked new thinking about how to approach their own initiatives and opened possibilities for collaboration across contexts.

The sixth convening highlighted the strength of these gatherings in creating a space for peer learning, shared reflection, and mutual support, reinforcing HERITΛGE’s commitment to fostering heritage initiatives across Africa.

The participants and projects featured were:

• Dr. Jayshree Mungur-Medhi, Mauritius: ‘Living the Heritage in Vieux Grand Port – Documentation and Transmission of Traditional Boat Making’

• Abdoulaye Diao Noumounthi, Senegal: ‘ElleSolaire Cultural Academy’

• Dr. Gafar Ali Fadol Ibrahim, Sudan: ‘Safeguarding Living Cultural Heritage in the Sudan at the Time of Conflict: Documentation of Cultural Industries (Pottery and Basketry) of Sinkat Locality in the Red Sea State’

• Yaw Mankatah Asare, Ghana: ‘Abibikwantuo (AK) Indigenous Sustainability Hub’

• Ngague Gaga Taguimbi, Chad (presenting on behalf of Ganda Bini Djabou): ‘Restoration and revitalization of the Sarh Museum’

• Prof. Pastory Magayane Bushozi, Tanzania: ‘Conservation and Promotion of Cultural Sites in the Eyasi Basin, Tanzania’

• Isaak Aduko, Ghana: ‘Protection, preservation and promotion of Fort Fredericksburg’

This was the sixth out of six planned events aimed at showcasing projects funded through our Small Grants for African Heritage Projects initiative, made possible through generous funding by the Mellon Foundation. 75 projects have received around $1 million in funding. You can read more about the specific projects on our Africa Grants page.