Rwanda
RTM's first mission field is the Republic of Rwanda. Rwanda is a beautiful Central African country. It is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Population: 12.7 million (July 2020 est.)
Area: 26,338 sq km (smaller than Hawaii)
Mean elevation: 1,598 m (lowest elevation: 950 m)
Language: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Swahili
[Source: The World Factbook, CIA]
"Land of a Thousand Hills"
Poverty
[Source: The World Factbook, CIA]
Even with the rapid economical growth of recent years, the GDP per capita in 2020 was US$797 according to the World Bank, which puts the country among the 20 poorest countries in the world. Using the World Bank's $1.90 (Purchasing Power Parity or "PPP") per day poverty line for low-incomed countries, 55.5% of people in Rwanda are classed as poor. The poverty rate is higher in rural areas where RTM's work is happening, and children with disabilities and their families are even more prone to experiencing extreme poverty due to the additional challenges they face.