About IJABO SMTB

Rationale for the Establishment of IJABO School of Massage Therapy and Bodywork in Rwanda

The establishment of the IJABO School of Massage Therapy and Bodywork is a strategic and timely response to persistent structural and skills gaps within Rwanda’s hospitality, health, wellness, and beauty sectors. The idea originated in 2013 following a rapid increase in registered hospitality and wellness enterprises nationwide. Despite this growth, there was a glaring shortage of professionally trained massage therapists and bodywork practitioners. Key service providers—including hotels, resorts, recreational facilities, lodges, sports clubs, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, fitness facilities, salons, and spas—were forced to rely largely on informally trained or unqualified personnel, compromising service quality, client safety, and professional credibility.

For many years, the sector also depended heavily on foreign practitioners, a situation that further complicated service delivery. This reliance significantly increased the cost of massage therapy services, making them largely inaccessible to local communities while placing a financial burden on both local and international clients. In the absence of local professional training structures, this dependency also perpetuated unethical practices and abuse within the industry, undermining consumer trust and sector integrity.

At the time, Rwanda had no institution dedicated to formal massage therapy training. Consequently, the profession lacked structure, regulation, and recognition. These weaknesses were brought into sharp focus in June 2022, when international dignitaries visiting Rwanda expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of massage therapy services, despite overall positive assessments of the country’s hospitality sector.

Further exacerbating the situation were widespread misconceptions associating massage therapy with inappropriate conduct, alongside uncontrolled proliferation of massage and reflexology centers, particularly in urban areas. This fragmentation diluted professional standards and exposed the public to health and safety risks.

Drawing on extensive experience teaching massage therapy and relaxation techniques to health sciences students locally and internationally, the founder identified professional education as the only sustainable solution. The IJABO School of Massage Therapy and Bodywork was therefore established to professionalize the field through structured, science-based training aligned with global best practices.

The name IJABO, rooted in a Kinyarwanda concept, signifies the belief that the legitimacy and dignity of massage therapy can only be realized through formal education and ethical practice. The school’s establishment aligns with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) by creating skilled employment, reducing reliance on foreign labor, promoting affordability and access to services, and fostering a productive, professionalized society.

Our Vision

To train competent, ethical, and professional Massage Therapists through competency-based education model informed by scientific evidence contributing to national development strategy for sustainable livelihoods.

To provide unique, refreshing, holistic, and individualized Massage Therapy and Bodywork services to enhance overall physical health, quality of life, and fitness of our clients in a caring, confidential, and respectful manner.