The Rwanda News Desk is located in Kigali, Rwanda's capital. Rwanda, which sits just below the equator in central Africa, gained its independence in 1962. Its history has been marred by the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi ethnic group by the Hutu ethnic group that left more than 1 million dead. Most of its 2 million refugees have returned, and Rwanda held its first post-genocide presidential election in 2003. Still, its economy suffers and most Rwandans live in rural poverty.

The Rwanda News Desk was established in 2010 as a pilot project. Reporters are currently cover issues detailing Rwanda's recovery, ranging from its fight against gender-based violence to its move toward modern housing. In 2011, GPI aims to hire three new reporters in Rwanda.