In 1994, Rwanda was synonymous with tragedy. The genocide that unfolded over 100 days left nearly a million people dead—neighbors turned on neighbors, children orphaned, communities torn apart. It was more than just violence; it was the collapse of the systems meant to protect citizens, and the heartbreaking realization that the international community largely watched from the sidelines. In many ways, Rwanda embodied a collective failure of humanity.

And yet, if you fly into Rwanda today—quite literally, if you follow one of Zipline’s delivery drones—it doesn’t feel like a nation defined by that past. It feels like a place that consciously decided, We will not be that story forever. You can see it in the capital city of Kigali, one of the cleanest and fastest-developing urban centers in Africa. You can see it in the Gacaca courts, a grassroots justice system that emphasized reconciliation over endless retribution. You can see it in conversations with Rwandans themselves—young entrepreneurs, community leaders, and elders—who speak of national unity with a sincerity that’s hard to find in more jaded corners of the world.

In Rwanda, drones don’t deliver consumer goods or fast-food orders. They deliver blood, vaccines, and medicine, connecting remote clinics to critical supplies within minutes instead of hours. And while Zipline, the startup behind these drones, might look like just another logistics company on paper, it represents something bigger in Rwanda’s context: the idea that technology can be harnessed first and foremost to serve community needs.

It’s not a perfect system, and Rwanda still faces serious challenges. But the country’s example presents a stark contrast to how many wealthier nations approach innovation. Where certain parts of the world see technology as a machine for profit alone—often fueling social divides in the process—Rwanda’s experience suggests a different path, one where technology is integrated with communal values and aligned with public well-being.

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The Rwanda of the Past and Its Parallels to Modern Political Climates

To understand how Rwanda arrived at this hopeful juncture, it’s worth revisiting the harrowing events of the 1994 genocide. The violence erupted as years of political tension, ethnic propaganda, and foreign interference boiled over. Neighbor turned on neighbor largely along Hutu and Tutsi lines, but the root causes were more complex than a simple ethnic split. Colonial influence had long stoked divisions, and the genocide’s speed was aided by institutions that had turned oppressive and manipulative.

What’s sometimes forgotten, however, is how propaganda played a massive role. Radio broadcasts spread hate speech and divisive rhetoric, urging Rwandans to see some of their own neighbors as “cockroaches.” Hateful ideas transformed into violent acts with shocking efficiency. A toxic media landscape, combined with political manipulation, helped create an environment where ordinary people felt compelled—or forced—to participate in unimaginable violence.

Now consider the modern political climate in many of the world’s wealthiest nations. While not directly comparable to the genocide in scope or horror, the parallels in divisive rhetoric, manipulation of mass media, and polarization are alarming. Increasingly, technology is weaponized to sow discord or amplify extremist views. Social media algorithms nudge users toward the most outrage-inducing content, creating echo chambers and stoking paranoia. Political figures capitalize on these divisions, turning healthy disagreement into entrenched tribalism.

Just as Rwanda discovered in the early 1990s, political and social tensions can escalate when the lines between truth and propaganda blur. Though wealthier countries typically enjoy more robust institutions, the fragility revealed in recent years—through populist movements, widespread misinformation, and heightened cultural divides—demonstrates that no nation is entirely immune to the forces that once tore Rwanda apart.

But as we now know, Rwanda’s story did not end in 1994. Against all odds, the nation has found a way to rebuild itself—not just physically, but in terms of social fabric and national unity. By examining how Rwanda navigated its post-genocide period, we can glean lessons about reclaiming technology and policy for the greater good.

The Rwanda of Today, and the Choices That Have Led Them Here

To walk the streets of Kigali today is to witness a metropolis on the rise. Modern buildings, well-kept roads, and bustling markets speak to Rwanda’s focus on economic development. But the real story lies in how the nation’s leadership and its people made specific choices about governance, reconciliation, and technology.

1. Government Engagement and Reconciliation
After the genocide, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) under President Paul Kagame led a campaign to unify the country and foster a sense of shared national identity—less “Hutu versus Tutsi” and more “Rwandan.” One of the most critical tools in this process was the Gacaca court system. These community-based courts were far from perfect—some argue they lacked thorough due process—but they were driven by a principle that traditional retributive justice alone would not heal the country’s deep wounds. By involving local communities in trials and focusing on truth-telling, Gacaca courts cultivated a climate of communal responsibility and, ultimately, reconciliation.

2. A Results-Oriented Vision
Rwanda also took a deliberate stance on becoming a technological and economic hub. The government’s Vision 2020 (followed by Vision 2050) laid out ambitious goals for education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Crucially, these weren’t just about attracting foreign investment; they were about improving the lives of everyday Rwandans. One example: the national emphasis on healthcare, which has led to health insurance coverage for millions of citizens. Although challenges remain, Rwanda boasts some of the most improved healthcare statistics in the region—a direct result of policy choices focused on inclusivity.

3. Community at the Core of Innovation
Perhaps most relevant to our discussion is Rwanda’s approach to integrating technology into public services. Rather than adopting tech for tech’s sake, the country often asks: How does this serve our citizens? From e-Government platforms that streamline paperwork to drones delivering medical supplies, technological innovation in Rwanda is frequently targeted at solving specific problems. This might sound obvious, but in wealthier nations, technology can become disconnected from genuine community needs, existing primarily to drive revenue, capture user data, or enhance corporate power.

Of course, Rwanda is not a perfect model. Critics point to limits on political freedom and open dissent, as well as concerns over press freedom. The ambitious nature of certain development goals can overshadow local realities. Still, taken in context—especially given Rwanda’s traumatic past—the country’s progress is nothing short of remarkable, and it rests on a core principle: technology and policy should serve human well-being, not just profit or political expediency.

The Common Trend of Innovation for Profit vs. Innovation and Investment for Community Benefit

In much of the world, innovation is often synonymous with profit. The standard script reads: A tech company identifies a market gap, secures venture capital, scales quickly, and then either gets acquired or goes public. This model rewards rapid growth and high returns; social impact or community benefit is an afterthought—if it’s considered at all. When profit dominates the conversation, unintended consequences can arise:

1. Exploitation of User Data
Many tech platforms rely on surveillance capitalism—collecting user data to sell targeted advertising. This model can undermine user privacy and lead to manipulative content strategies that keep people hooked, whether or not that content is beneficial or accurate.

2. Widening Inequality
When profits accumulate at the top, the digital divide grows. Innovations like high-speed internet, smartphones, or advanced software become luxuries for those who can afford them. Meanwhile, essential services—education, healthcare, infrastructure—may remain under-resourced for the communities that need them most.

3. Misplaced Priorities
Even potentially transformative technologies, like AI or biotechnology, can become tools for chasing the largest returns. Research and development focuses on what’s lucrative (think: building the next addictive social app or a hyper-targeted marketing tool), rather than addressing systemic social challenges or improving public welfare.

By contrast, Rwanda’s approach—despite limited resources—often places the community’s needs first. There is a government willingness to partner with companies whose solutions align with national healthcare or educational goals. It’s not altruism alone; the Rwandan government wants to attract investment and become a continental leader in tech. But the difference is the focus on technology that measurably improves lives, which leads us to a shining example: Zipline.

Zipline: A Case Study

Zipline, founded by Keller Rinaudo, Keenan Wyrobek, Ryan Oksenhorn, and William Hetzler, started with a simple but transformative vision: use drones to deliver critical medical supplies to remote areas faster than traditional logistics could allow. In countries with mountainous terrain and underdeveloped road networks, the time saved can be the difference between life and death.

How It Works

1. Strategic Locations
Zipline sets up distribution centers stocked with blood, vaccines, and other medical essentials. Each center serves dozens of hospitals and clinics within a specific radius.

2. On-Demand Requests
When a clinic identifies an urgent need—like a particular blood type for a hemorrhaging patient—it sends a request to the Zipline center.

3. Automated Drone Dispatch
Within minutes, a battery-powered drone is launched with the required supplies. The drone follows a pre-programmed route using GPS and drops the package via parachute near or at the clinic, eliminating the need for extensive landing infrastructure.

4. Rapid Turnaround
After delivery, the drone returns automatically to the distribution center for reloading and recharging. Clinics can receive life-saving materials within 15-45 minutes, drastically cutting down wait times that could stretch for hours if relying on ground transport.

Why Rwanda?

Zipline chose Rwanda for its first major deployment because the government was open, even enthusiastic, about collaborating on healthcare. Leadership recognized that drone deliveries could address a pressing problem: lack of timely access to medical supplies in rural areas. This alignment of government support and real community need gave Zipline the perfect environment to prove its model.

In many wealthier nations, concerns about airspace regulations, corporate liability, and profits might overshadow the social benefits. But in Rwanda, the question was straightforward: Can this technology save Rwandan lives? If the answer was yes, the government was willing to work through regulatory hurdles to make it happen.

Impact on the Ground

Since its launch in 2016, Zipline’s operations in Rwanda have helped reduce maternal mortality rates (by ensuring blood products for postpartum hemorrhage are more readily available), stabilized vaccine availability, and improved overall healthcare outcomes in remote districts. Clinics in harder-to-reach areas report a newfound confidence in their ability to handle emergencies, knowing help is just a drone flight away.

Zipline has expanded to Ghana and other countries, and it’s exploring similar projects in the United States. But its success story is inextricably linked to Rwanda’s willingness to embrace innovation that serves the public good. While Zipline as a company must remain profitable to operate, the venture’s core mission—delivering life-saving supplies—demonstrates how technology can balance commercial viability with profound social impact.

A Call to Reimagine Technology’s Role

Rwanda’s story offers a powerful lesson for a world increasingly divided by polarization and obsessed with profit-driven innovation. In the face of a national trauma so deep that many observers once doubted the country could recover, Rwandans chose to rebuild—not just infrastructure but the very idea of community. A critical part of that rebuild involved using technology not as a tool for control, but as a bridge to serve real human needs.

Meanwhile, in many of the globe’s wealthiest nations, technology often appears in the headlines as a source of controversy: data exploitation, misinformation campaigns, social media–fueled animosity. While these countries have the resources to create dazzling new apps and AI systems, they often lack a guiding ethic that asks: Will this innovation unify us or divide us? Will it serve the few or the many?

Rwanda isn’t without flaws, but the enduring message is this: a nation that has walked through unimaginable darkness can, with steadfast purpose and alignment between government and community, chart a path of healing and progress—one in which technology is a clear asset rather than a societal wedge. For those of us watching from elsewhere, Rwanda’s example challenges us to rethink our assumptions about the role of tech in society.

• If Rwanda can build drone infrastructure to deliver blood to the furthest corners of the country, what stops other nations from prioritizing healthcare access over profit?
• If Rwanda can integrate advanced innovation into its public policy, why can’t wealthier nations redirect at least a portion of their tech capital to address urgent communal needs?
• If a country once shattered by genocide can reimagine its future around community-driven principles, how might the rest of the world reorient its approach to harnessing technology for the greater good?

None of this is to say the Rwandan model is a simple blueprint to be copied wholesale. Every nation has its distinct challenges, culture, and resources. But the mindset—the unwavering belief that technology should serve people rather than merely profit—transcends borders and contexts. As automation, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies gain traction worldwide, the question is not whether these tools can enhance society, but whether we’ll choose to deploy them in ways that benefit the many instead of the few.

In this sense, watching Zipline’s drones soar above Rwanda’s lush hillsides is more than a neat engineering feat; it’s an inspiring, quietly radical vision of what is possible when technology answers to human dignity and community well-being. It’s a vision that wealthier countries, beset by cultural and political rifts, might do well to consider: 

Ultimately, lack of technology or capability may not be the limiting factors they’re always described as. Imagine a world where, instead of pure profit, we choose to focus on Innovation that unites, heals, and advances us all.