Rwandan Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Rwanda is a small, hilly country in central Africa, known for its mountain gorillas and its remarkable recovery since the genocide of 1994. Kinyarwanda, English and French are official languages. Rwandans in Birmingham include students, professionals and families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 10,239 people living in the city had been born in Southern and Eastern African countries other than Kenya, Somalia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, a group that includes Rwanda.

Working for Birmingham

Rwandan residents work in healthcare, social care, education, IT and business, and many are multilingual. Rwanda's focus on technology and clean, well-run cities means that Rwandan professionals bring a strong interest in innovation and public service to their work in Birmingham.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Rwandan community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Umuganda, a national day of community work held on the last Saturday of each month, reflects a culture of pulling together, and many Rwandans in Birmingham bring that spirit to volunteering. Intore dance, with its dramatic headdresses, and dishes such as isombe and brochettes are proud traditions.

In a city where scores of languages are spoken, the Rwandan community adds another voice to the conversation. Its members, old and new, are helping to make Birmingham the confident, outward-looking city it wants to be.