Suicide remains a pressing public health challenge in Rwanda, disproportionately affecting youth and men. This article explores the intersection of trauma, stigma, and systemic gaps in mental health care, and highlights ARCT-RUHUKA’s trauma-informed approach to suicide prevention. It calls for a national shift toward compassion, visibility, and community-based healing.

Globally, suicide claims over 700,000 lives annually. In Rwanda, the suicide mortality rate stands at 8.68 deaths per 100,000, with men dying by suicide at three times the rate of women. Among youth aged 15–29, suicide ranks as the fourth leading cause of death. These figures reflect not only personal suffering but also systemic silence.

Rwanda’s mental health landscape is shaped by deep historical trauma. Survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi are three times more likely to experience mental health disorders. Today, 1 in 5 Rwandans aged 14–65 lives with a mental health condition, and 1 in 10 suffers from depression. Yet stigma, limited access, and cultural taboos continue to isolate those in need.

As a national leader in trauma-informed care, ARCT-RUHUKA integrates psychosocial support, community dialogue, and capacity-building to prevent suicide and promote healing. Our programs center survivors, empower youth, and train local facilitators to recognize and respond to signs of distress.

We believe that healing begins with listening to stories of pain, resilience, and hope. We believe that stigma kills, but compassion saves.

This year’s theme There is Hope after a Diagnosis—Let’s Seek Care is more than a slogan. It is a challenge to families, educators, health workers, and policymakers to build systems of care that are inclusive, accessible, and rooted in dignity.

Let us ask:  What message would you give someone who feels like they’re carrying pain alone today?Your voice matters. Your story matters. And your compassion could save a life.

There Is Hope—Even in Silence is not just a title. It is a truth we must live by. On this International Day for Suicide Prevention, ARCT-RUHUKA invites every Rwandan to break the silence, challenge the stigma, and become a beacon of hope.