A new hospital, Kivu Hills Medical Center, has been inaugurated in Boneza Sector, Rutsiro District, and is set to begin receiving outpatients by the end of 2025. The facility will connect local doctors with specialists in the United States through Starlink-powered telemedicine, ensuring advanced care for rural communities.

The $3 million facility (over Rwf 4 billion) was built by Arise Rwanda, an organization founded by Rwandan philanthropist John Gasangwa with support from American partner Babra Curver.

The hospital aims to ease the burden on Murunda Hospital, located 25 kilometers away, which has long struggled with overcrowding.

For years, residents of Boneza faced long journeys—five hours or more—to reach Murunda, often paying at least Rwf 5,000 for a motorcycle ride. Those in critical condition relied on ambulances, while others were given transfer notes and left to find transport on their own.

“Seeking medical care was exhausting. Only the very sick could be taken by ambulance, while the rest had to find their own way,” said resident Mukamuganga Marie.

Others praised the new initiative for bringing American doctors directly to their community. Havugimana Pierre noted that Arise Rwanda has regularly hosted U.S. medical teams who stayed in Boneza to treat a variety of illnesses.

Former Senator and University of Rwanda lecturer Chrisologue Kubwimana, one of the patients treated during trial runs, commended the hospital’s inclusive approach:

“They welcomed me just like any other patient. I was seen by three doctors with the help of an interpreter, even though about 350 patients were there that day. These services are truly needed because they bring care closer to us. Before, I had to travel to Kigali for chronic headaches.”

“Thanks to Starlink, our doctors here will collaborate in real time with specialists in the U.S. through telemedicine,” Rukundo explained.

According to Rukundo Mugisha Darius, Arise Rwanda’s coordinator, the hospital will treat at least 100 outpatients daily and accommodate 75 inpatients on a short-term basis while awaiting transfer to larger referral hospitals. Ambulances and even a rescue boat on Lake Kivu will be available to transport patients to facilities in Gisenyi or Karongi.

The hospital will provide general and specialized care in neurology, dental health, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and surgery.

Built from Love for Country

Founder John Gasangwa said the hospital was inspired by his passion for Rwanda and his desire to see even the poorest citizens receive care under the community-based health insurance scheme (mituelle).

“If the poor cannot be treated here, then I will have failed. This project is not about making profit but about serving communities,” he said.

Gasangwa studied in the U.S. before returning to Rwanda in 2011, where he briefly taught at the University of Rwanda. Shocked by the poverty and lack of services in Boneza, he launched a series of initiatives: teaching savings and entrepreneurship (particularly to women), donating 600 cows, and establishing Kivu Hills Academy, which offers education from nursery to secondary level, with vocational training included.

He called on Rwandans in the diaspora to invest back home:

“We should not forget where we came from. Let us build here, so that we can also retire here.”

At the inauguration, Rurangirwa Eric, Chairperson of Boneza Sector Council and representative of Rutsiro District, thanked Gasangwa for bringing healthcare closer to the more than 400,000 residents of the area.

He further urged investors to explore opportunities in the district’s 13 sectors:
“From mining to agriculture, livestock, and services, there are many areas where one can invest profitably while uplifting the local population.”