A Young Family’s Story of Prevention, Protection, and Peace of Mind
In Bugesera District, Ngeruka Sector, Kigarama Village, 20-year-old Niyigena Maritha is preparing for the birth of her first child. At seven months pregnant, she carries the hopes and worries familiar to many expectant mothers: staying healthy, protecting her unborn baby, and making sure her home is as safe as possible.
Niyigena Maritha, holds a Guardian™ spatial repellent.
Kigarama Village, Bugesera District — 2026
For Maritha and her husband, 22-year-old Ndayishimye Bosco, malaria prevention has always been part of daily life. Like many families in their community, they use mosquito nets and follow recommended practices such as closing doors and windows early in the evening. Bosco sums up their approach with a familiar Rwandan saying: “Kwirinda kuruta kwivuza” — prevention is better than cure.
Kigarama Village, Bugesera District — 2026
Accessing care is also not always easy. A motorbike ride to the health center for antenatal care costs about RWF 2,500 one way, a significant expense for a young farming household. While Maritha remains committed to attending antenatal care, the cost and distance make prevention at home even more important.
That is why the visit from community health workers became a meaningful moment for the family. During one of their routine household visits, community health workers introduced Maritha and Bosco to Guardian™ spatial repellent, explained how it works, demonstrated how to use it correctly, and provided the product to the household.
A community health worker installs a Guardian™ spatial repellent unit in a household.
Kigarama Village, Bugesera District — 2026
For Maritha, the change was felt quickly. “The tool is great because of its effectiveness,” she says. “We used to depend only on the mosquito net, but it was limited to the bedroom. Most times, I would find myself thinking about my unborn child and wondering if we would be confined to the bedroom for all our activities because that is where the protection was’’.
