Our Approach

Schools are more than places for learning.

Children gather each day, parents seek support, and often communities come together.

Yet challenges children face do not fit neatly into either education or health. A child who is sick, malnourished, or struggling at home may have difficulty attending school, concentrating in class, or keeping up with their peers. At the same time, schools are often not connected closely enough to the health services families need.

Move Up Global's Ipfundo (“Knot”) Framework was created to tie these pieces together.

Named after the Kinyarwanda word for "knot," the framework connects schools, families, community health workers, and local health facilities so that children receive support earlier and more consistently. It recognizes that health and education are closely linked, and that improving one often requires addressing the other.

In Rwanda, where most public schools do not have a nurse or health worker on site, teachers are often the first to notice when something is wrong. Through the Ipfundo Framework, community health workers partner with schools to conduct health screenings, provide health education, follow up with families, and connect children to care when needed.

The framework also extends beyond healthcare. Through programs in nutrition, water and sanitation, education, and sexual and reproductive health, schools become a starting point for improving the well-being of children and their families.

At its core, Ipfundo is about connection. By bringing together the people who already play a role in a child's life, we help communities identify challenges earlier, respond more effectively, and build healthier futures for children.