Our story
It began with a tragedy that shook us all. In May 2017, a public transport bus packed with passengers rolled hundreds of meters down a steep hillside in Rwanda. Many lives were lost, mothers, fathers, children gone in an instant. For our founder, Jean Felix, that day left a deep and lasting impact. “It could have been any of us,” he often recalls. The crash didn’t just take lives; it exposed a deeper crisis that so many Rwandans face daily: the fear and uncertainty of whether we or our loved ones will arrive safely.
From that moment, our founder came to a powerful realization: road crashes are not accidents, they’re often the result of avoidable mistakes or irresponsibility. The grief he felt sparked a deep sense of responsibility he could no longer ignore. He set a clear goal: to pursue advanced training in road safety and establish an organization that would work together with the National Police, policymakers, urban planners, and road designers to make our roads safer for all. After years of searching and applying, he earned a scholarship. And in late 2023, he smiled with pride, having achieved a long-held dream: a master’s degree in Transportation Sciences-Road Safety.
Then came action. Motivated by this journey, he brought together a group of passionate individuals, friends, educators, and volunteers who shared a common mission. Together, we founded Safe-Routes4X, a Community-Benefit Company with a mission to save lives through road safety education, advocacy, and improved infrastructure. Today, we raise awareness through a variety of channels, with a focus on expanding our reach across schools, driver groups, and other road users. We also work closely with communities and key stakeholders to promote safer road behaviour and foster a culture of shared responsibility. We know we’re only at the beginning of a long journey, but it has truly begun. More people are listening. Conversations about road safety are growing. Step by step, we are moving toward our vision: A Rwanda with safer roads, zero traffic fatalities, and a global reference in responsible and sustainable mobility.