About 15,000 unemployed youth are attending training under the Skills Development Fund (SDF), with some having been employed while others wait for graduation in December, according to Rwanda TVET Board (RTB).
Eugene Uwimana, the Program Manager of SDF at RTB, said on September 12 during the graduation of 700 micro-entrepreneurs across Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge districts, the 2025 target is almost achieved.
The figure is part of efforts to train 70,000 unemployed youth through the SDF by 2029, under the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
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"So far, 3,702 youth have been successfully trained, while 11,580 are still undergoing training,” Uwimana said.
The programme targets youth who either did not complete school or are struggling to find employment despite having completed their studies. Between 2017 and 2023, RTB trained 9,100 individuals.
"We train youth in different trades such as sewing, carpentry, and mechanics. We have also expanded to support micro-business owners operating informally, helping them acquire the skills needed to grow their businesses,” Uwimana added.
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Various training centres across the country are helping reach the 15,000 youth target this year. The plan is to train 20,000 youth in 2026 and 2027, and 15,000 in 2028, he said.
James Kellon, Head of Friends Effort to Support Youth (FESY), one of RTB’s partners in training for micro-businesses, said that many micro-business owners, youth, and women have small businesses or business ideas that need development.
"Through collaboration with RTB and the City of Kigali, we provide training, mentorship, and follow-up to ensure sustainability. We are running a three-year programme to train 10,000 youth and women in Kigali, which has many informal businesses, while also extending support to other provinces,” Kellon said.
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Challenges such as a lack of skills often limit access to finance. Trainees are therefore equipped with financial management skills and encouraged to join savings groups, reducing the barrier of access to loan guarantees, he noted.
What do trainees say?
Marie Chantal Nyirarukundo,bafood seller from Karuruma and m, who benefited from the training on business management said that she didn’t know how to save.
"I just worked and spent. Now, I record everything: what I buy, sell, and even who owes me money. I have also learned the value of savings groups, where we share ideas and borrow when needed. With the certificate I have received, I feel confident to approach financial institutions and plan to start my own boutique,” said Nyirarukundo.
Joseph Hagenimana, a food and fruit vendor in Nyamirambo, who trained in the same field, said that he learned how to work with banks and how to access loans, which he didn’t know before.
"We were also shown that it is possible to grow from a small capital to something as big as 10 million. Among the lessons I got was that we should not fear in investing or approaching banks.”
Micro-business owners face challenges like limited capital and a lack of understanding about taxes. "We have been encouraged to see banks as partners ready to support us,” he added.