Catherine Kanziga, 36, from Murambi Village in Nyamata Sector, Bugesera District, is a mother of seven. Four are her biological children, two were adopted through simple adoption, and one is under her legal guardianship. Before the closure of orphanages in Rwanda in 2013, Kanziga worked at one such facility and cared for many children. After its closure, she became Malayika Mulinzi (guardian angel) and took in a number of children. At the time, Rwanda had 33 orphanages which cared for some 3,000 children. Today, only three remain operational, with 200 children in them. ALSO READ: How adoption inspired passion to empower street children While the orphanage supported children through education sponsorships, the government’s plan was to transition children into family-based care. However, some had nowhere to go but to wait for their chance to be placed with guardian angels. She believes that adopting a child is not about wealth, it is about humanity. “You do not need to be rich. What you need is the heart and the desire to respond to a child’s need, to give them a life, a chance to grow up in a family,” she told The New Times. “It’s a blessing not only to the child but to you as a parent. Your family gains more arms. When you support a vulnerable child, you are saving a life and shaping a future. They may grow up to be guardian angels themselves.” Kanziga says adjusting to life outside of the orphanage was not easy for the children, especially because they were older when they joined her family. “Life in an orphanage is very different from life in a family,” she said. “In the facility, everything is done for them. They do not easily learn to take responsibility. I had to teach them gradually, step by step how to do housework, how to plan, how to manage money. Now, they are responsible.” She added the children know they are adopted, but they do not behave any differently from her biological children. For Kanziga, there is no difference between an adopted child and a biological one. “Even if a child misbehaves, you should never treat them differently,” she said. “Ask yourself if this were your own child, would you reject them? No. You discipline them with love. You support them even when finances are tight.” ALSO READ: Foster care: Why child adoption is the answer for abandoned children Adopting a child in Rwanda Any adult is eligible to adopt a child as long as they are at least seven years older than the child, according to the National Child Development Agency (NCDA). While people who are single, couples, and families are all eligible to adopt, priority is given to married couples to increase the child’s chances of growing up with both parental figures. Rwanda’s adoption law provides for two options – simple adoption and full adoption – serving to ensure the best for the child, whether through domestic or inter-country adoption. Simple adoption allows the child to be integrated into another family while maintaining legal ties with their biological family. This typically applies when one parent is deceased and the other is unable to care for the child due to illness, disability, or long-term imprisonment. In such cases, consent is required from the parent, guardian, or institution caring for the child. If the child is 12, or older, their consent is also mandatory. Full adoption, on the other hand, permanently severs legal ties with the biological family. It is used when a child is a total orphan, under state guardianship or has been abandoned with a court declaration. The adoptive parent assumes full legal and parental rights, although the child retains citizenship in their country of origin. Both forms of adoption are monitored by the NCDA. “Adoption is only processed through NCDA,” explains Monique Mukamana, the Manager of Child Rights Protection and Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programme at the agency. “Not even a parent can look for someone to adopt their child, nor can a person looking to adopt approach anyone outside the legal process.” ALSO READ: Religious leaders urged to promote child adoption For inter-country adoption, the procedures are done in cooperation between Rwanda and the applicant’s home country. The process is initiated by the foreign country’s child welfare authority, which assesses the applicant’s eligibility and prepares a dossier. “We must receive a letter indicating why you want to adopt a child backed up by evidence, and an economic assessment document,” Mukamana said, adding that the process includes a host of other documents from the adopting family, the Rwandan ambassador. She explained that the person looking for a child to adopt has the right to clarify the gender and the age of the child they want. They can also clarify if they are open to a child with a disability or other illness, but not other physical features. “It’s like giving birth; you do not choose the child’s exact features,” Mukamana said. Once all the documents are in, the NCDA begins searching for a child matching the specified criteria. The process takes up to six months. If no match is found, the agency informs the applicant, offering them the choice to change their preferences, extend the period, or withdraw the request. When a child is identified, legal procedures begin. The adoptive parents may change the child’s name through Rwandan laws, if it serves the child’s interest. ALSO READ: Govt lifts ban on foreign adoption of Rwandan kids After adoption, annual reports on the child’s well-being are required until the child turns 18. “We cooperate with the central authority to monitor the child’s living conditions,” Mukamana said. “The Rwandan ambassador also, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, helps to follow up on the adopted child’s life.” How common is adoption in Rwanda? Although Rwanda ratified the UN Convention on Inter-country Adoption in 2010, it suspended such adoptions shortly after to strengthen domestic laws. The process resumed in 2017. Since 2018, only 18 Rwandan children have been adopted internationally. “The most common reasons cited by foreigners include being unable to have biological children or choosing not to have them,” Mukamana said. Others adopt because of a personal history with Rwanda or a desire to contribute to the country’s child welfare efforts. Locally, adoption is prioritized to keep children in their cultural and national environment and to ease long-term monitoring. “A person can adopt a child even from their extended family depending on the child’s vulnerability,” Mukamana said. The applicant submits documents at the sector level, and if approved, the case goes to court. Once signed off, the child is handed over to the new guardian. Full domestic adoptions are processed directly through NCDA. Applicants must submit a letter detailing their reasons for adoption, along with medical, conduct, and criminal clearance certificates. “We explain to the applicant the responsibilities they are taking on, the risks involved, and carry out home visits to verify their readiness to adopt,” Mukamana said. Between 2021 and 2025, up to 162 children were adopted locally; 143 through simple adoption and 19 through full adoption. The local process is swift, especially when a matching child is available. Rwandans often adopt to give back to society, honour their own upbringing, or build a family when biological options are limited. Vulnerability in children often arises from family conflict, neglect, disability, or domestic violence. Mukamana said the government is committed to child protection through supportive policies and laws, urging for strengthened parental responsibility to minimize the risks that expose children to vulnerability.
