A Thousand Health Posts, A Thousand Hopes: UN Rwanda and I&M Bank Commence a Revolutionary Pathway towards Universal Health Coverage

The United Nations and I&M Bank have collaborated to develop a groundbreaking initiative toward universal health coverage. This strategic partnership, formalized through signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is a powerful UN-private sector partnership to clear the way for Rwanda's push towards equitable and affordable healthcare for all.

At the center of this partnership is the joint program titled "A Thousand Health Posts in the Land of a Thousand Hills"–a program that embodies the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and responds directly to the appeal for inclusive health systems expressed in UN General Assembly resolutions. Technical leadership is being provided by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with other UN agencies including UNCDF, UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR and UN-Habitat. It aims to transform rural health infrastructure by putting in place 1,000 community-based health posts within the country.

What sets this partnership apart is that it is leveraging private sector innovation to spur public good. Under the agreement, UN Rwanda, through UNCDF, will deploy a de-risking mechanism—a form of partial credit risk guarantee—to enhance access to capital for nurse entrepreneurs operating these health posts. Concurrently, I&M Bank will provide affordable financial solutions to these health providers, supplemented with capacity-building in business management and financial literacy.

“We are excited to partner with I&M Bank Rwanda to scale up community health solutions that are people-centered and sustainable,” Noted Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo, the UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda. “This collaboration exemplifies how the UN and the private sector can work hand in hand to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage, leaving no one behind.”

"This partnership reflects our belief that sustainable health outcomes require innovative financing solutions and deep collaboration,” said Benjamin Mutimura, CEO of I&M Bank (Rwanda) Plc. “We are proud to play a catalytic role in enabling health post operators to thrive and reach the communities that need them most.”

Apart from financing, the MoU formalizes shared values of accountability, integrity and zero tolerance for abuse or exploitation. It reaffirms a shared commitment to ethical programming, as well as to advancing human rights, in a way that respects all parties involved, from partners to communities.

In conformity with Rwanda's National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this partnership embodies the UN's unshakeable resolve to sustainability in action and not just in words. It also embodies the rising leadership of the private sector as a close ally in confronting complex social challenges—anything from health equity to economic resilience. 

By 2026, the project will reach over 2 million individuals, showing that where vision and collaboration meet, the result is revolutionary. Empowering nurse business leaders as changemakers, this initiative does not just provide healthcare—it builds community resilience, empowers women in leadership and brings Rwanda closer to a future in which no one is left behind. This isn't just a memorandum. It's a movement—toward health, hope, and humanity!