Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Rwanda celebrated the graduation of 136 digital champions and business coaches and the awarding of outstanding social entrepreneurs who embarked on a transformative journey as part of the "Daring to Shift" (D2S) project.
This initiative aimed to equip youth, 70 per cent of whom are young women and sought to harness the expanding digital ecosystem and create new avenues for employment and digital opportunities.
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The graduation ceremony took place on Friday, September 15 at the Kigali Serena Hotel, and was attended by officials from various organisations, including the Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, Imbuto Foundation, Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Action Aid, City of Kigali, RWAMREC, FAWE, UN Women, DOT Youth, and other implementing partners including Youth Friendly Centres.
The 136 youth leaders who served as Community Facilitators or Digital Champions and Business Coaches received completion certificates; and the exceptional leaders in the three categories of Community Impact, Peer Support, Social media influencers driving change, were awarded smartphones.
In addition, out of the 40 social entrepreneurs who participated, seven outstanding enterprises, whose innovations span from technological advancements to revolutionising agriculture, education, hospitality, and food processing, were awarded a total of Rwf30 million in seed funds to scale up their impacts.
"Youth are the future. The global commitment to provide inclusive economic growth, productive employment and decent work requires that we take concrete actions to address youth unemployment and underemployment. Let&039;s empower them with opportunities and tools to realise their full potential and include them in decision-making,” said Nadine Khoury, Head of Programme, Counsellor and Consul, Office of High Commission of Canada.
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During the event, Sandrine Umutoni, the Minister of State for Youth, commended DOT Rwanda for its pivotal role in equipping Rwandan youth with digital literacy and business development skills.
"Every single one of you possesses a unique gift, and you hold the potential to create a significant impact, no matter where you began your journey in life. Your path has just started, and with each stride, you&039;ll uncover new horizons of achievement. I urge you to use the seed funding wisely to elevate your businesses, and embrace innovation, as our nation looks to your success in generating employment opportunities for fellow youth,” she said.
"Don’t miss out on seizing the myriad opportunities available, especially the upcoming YouthConnekt Awards, where young entrepreneurs will be awarded. I encourage you to register promptly – it would bring me immense joy to witness some of you receiving well-deserved awards,” Umutoni added.
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Violette Uwamutara, Regional Vice President Africa and Country Director of DOT Rwanda provided insights into the "Daring to Shift" project's four-year journey. Supported by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, this project aligns with Rwanda's National Strategy for Transformation (NST1), Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
"The D2S project, with a focus on empowering young women, has successfully driven digital growth. 136 community leaders, digital champions, and business coaches, 70 per cent being young women, have nurtured 7,535 businesses. They've enhanced ICT knowledge and harnessed digital tools for better outcomes,” she said.
"These innovators moulded through DOT's rigorous social entrepreneurs’ pathway have made innovations across various sectors. As you graduate, remember that you're now DOT alumni, part of our history and future. You are today's and tomorrow's leaders, poised for a future full of limitless opportunities,” Uwamutara added.
Graduates' views
Two graduates, Alain Remy Mutuzo and Phionah Kirabo, shared their experiences. Alain Remy Mutuzo owns Global Green Solutions, an organic fertilisers company that utilises landfill waste.
"I've been with DOT since 2021, and they've been by my side from idea to project launch. I'm grateful for the financial support which will help grow my business. I'm eager to continue learning and explore opportunities beyond Nyanza, possibly reaching more districts,” Mutuzo said.
Kirabo engaged with DOT Rwanda in 2020, focused on poultry farming. "They provided me a chance during the prototyping phase. I was among Rwanda's top 40, and they gave us training and capacity-building over three years, helping us create robust businesses.
"Today, I empower women with poultry farming skills and supply eggs to the market. This seed funding I just won will be used to expand my farms, creating more job opportunities in the process,” Kirabo said.