Umuganda (Public Cleaning) Day

Umuganda is a Rwandan national day of community service. Between 08:00 and 11:00 in Umuganda, Rwandan civilians take part in a country-wide ban on road traffic, whilst everyone participates in communal work for the public good. Much like a day of community service in the United States, most of the work involves cleaning, including a washing of the streets and parks. There are other ways of commemorating the holiday too, and some locals choose to plant trees and participate in environmental work. A strange and endearing spectacle to see a busy and bustling country coming together to engage in public service.

When the sun rises on the last Saturday of each month in Rwanda, it dawns over a country blanketed in silence. The ubiquitous motorcycle taxis, which stream across the city non-stop, disappear. Stores are shuttered, streets are empty. Once a month for four hours, the entire country shuts down to take part in government-mandated community service called "Umuganda," a Kinyarwanda word that means "coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome."

Time: the last Saturday of each month
Location: around Rwanda