Jean Claude Muhire is the Rwanda Program Director for the BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative (UPGI). He is responsible for scaling up the Graduation approach with the Government of Rwanda. For the past 12 years, JC has worked with various international organisations making a social impact in East Africa.

Before joining BRAC UPGI, JC served as Rwanda Program Coordinator with Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, a German political party foundation promoting social protection and good governance with government stakeholders, civil society organisations, think tanks, and trade unions. JC has also held partnership development and government relations roles with different organisations. JC supported the establishment of GiveDirectly’s cash program in Rwanda and managed the government relations to secure the Government’s buy-in for GiveDirectly’s unconditional cash program to eradicate poverty for poor households in rural areas of Rwanda.

JC is an executive networker and a partnership strategist with advisory roles in youth networks such as the Global Health Corps, Global Peace Chain and the Africa Matters Initiative. JC is passionate about community development and has a Master's in Global Community Development Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.