Implementing SDGs in Rwanda's rural housing: Lessons from Karama Model Village

Abstract

Rwanda has shown a strong commitment to localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by incorporating them into its national development plans and strategies, particularly the 1^st National Strategy for Transformation 2017-2024, the 2^nd National Strategy for Transformation 2014-2029 and Rwanda’s Vision 2050. Within the Vision 2050, the urbanization is identified as a key driver of economic transformation and urban development. This emphasis has further promoted the development of grouped villages, locally known as ‘imidugudu,’ which have become a central element of the government’s Integrated Development Programme (IDP) and the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS). Since 2010, over 60 IDP model villages have been established in Rwanda, guided by the principle of leaving no one behind, with the goal of resettling vulnerable households from high-risk areas. Karama, a model village located in the peri-urban area of Kigali and completed in 2019, serves as a case study for this research. A post-occupancy appraisal was conducted between 2021 and 2022 through direct participant observation and interviews with residents, including an assessment of their satisfaction with the new housing. In addition, a critical discourse analysis of national policies was carried out. The findings from this fieldwork are discussed in particular in relation to SDG 11, highlighting the tension between the overarching SDG discourse and its local, grassroots implementation. The qualitative data from the post-occupancy interviews, combined from the results of a satisfaction questionnaire is used to explore the potential and relevance of the SDGs in housing. By mapping the global policy framework alongside its local application, and the trend of SDG 11 targets and measures, from respondents’ reflections about their daily life before and after relocation, this research identifies the extent to which context-specific projects, such as Rwanda’s IDP model villages, can provide opportunities for the local implementation of the SDGs, ultimately contributing to a more resilient future for Rwanda’s communities.