Hope was renewed on Saturday as 45 young girls graduated from Grace Girls Coalition, marking the culmination of a year-long programme aimed at equipping vulnerable young women, with life skills, confidence and a renewed sense of purpose.

The graduation ceremony, held on January 17 at the prestigious Kigali Marriott Hotel, brought together graduates, mentors, partners and parents, celebrating not only academic and practical achievements but also personal transformation among girls, many of whom had previously faced trauma, poverty and school dropouts.

It brought immense joy to the graduates, their parents, sponsors, and guests, a true testament to the hope and optimism restored in these women, who now look forward to a ‘better future.’

The graduates,17 from Mimuli Sector in Nyagatare District and 28 from Musanze District, completed six-month vocational training programmes in hairdressing, tailoring and other trades following intensive boot camps designed to rebuild their confidence and sense of worth.

Stories of transformation

The graduates’ testimonies painted powerful portraits of lives rebuilt.

Amina Mutezinka, 18, from Musanze, had been out of school for two years after becoming pregnant in Senior Three. Abandoned by her parents and living with her brother, she spent her days "feeling lost and deeply sad.”

Through Grace Girls Coalition, she studied hairdressing and found purpose. "Being abandoned or living with relatives should not push someone into bad behavior. You become what you choose to be. I want to work hard and succeed,” she said.

Valentine Uwamahoro from Nyagatare had passed national exams and reached Senior Four when financial pressures led her astray. After becoming pregnant and being chased from school, she felt overwhelmed. Today, after completing hairdressing training, she enrolled her child in nursery school and can now manage the Rwf 25,000 term fees.

"You wouldn’t even know I have a child because I learned not to give up,” she said. "My future looks bright.”

Belize Habagusenga, 19, who also gave birth young, simply said: "I now work and see hope for my life.”

A personal mission born from struggle

For Grace Uwingabire, founder of Grace Girls Coalition, the work is deeply personal. Growing up in a rural area in poverty, where school was a constant threat, she was saved by strangers who helped her complete her education.

"I kept one thought in my mind: when I reach a certain level in life, I will help children,” Uwingabire said.

But the work is far from simple. Managing 100 children, currently 92 in active programmes, requires monitoring everything from school materials and hygiene items to who has eaten that day.

"Each child needs to be understood individually,” she explained. "It is easy to take a child back to school, but if you don’t address the reason they dropped out, the problem can return.”

Her five-year vision is ambitious, reaching five to six districts, touching the lives of hundreds more vulnerable girls.

Speaking to the guests, Uwingabire addressed her graduates directly: "You are valuable, capable, and loved. You are not alone. Stay strong and focused on your goals. Life may be challenging, but remember the guidance we gave you, we will walk this journey together.”

From napkin dream to life-changing reality

Tom Kiely, CEO of Active Travel Videos and a key sponsor of the project, reflected on the remarkable journey from concept to reality. "Grace and I first sat together last year [2024], in June. On June 23, to be exact. We literally wrote it down on a napkin and signed it. That part was easy,” Kiely told attendees.

"The hard part was what Grace did afterward, bringing all of this together in just one year.”

Kiely, the youngest of seven children who credits others for helping him succeed, said he was moved by Grace’s vision to support vulnerable young women who simply needed "a little help to be lifted up.”

"When you think about where they came from, the trauma, poverty, and school dropouts, and then see how ambitious they are now, it is powerful,” he said, committing to help expand the programme from two camps currently to four next year, with plans to reach other districts.

Parents overwhelmed with gratitude

For parents who had watched their children lose hope, the graduation was almost surreal.

Marie-Aimée Nduwayezu from Musanze recalled how her daughter had dropped out in Senior Two and worked casual labour with no prospects. "She had lost all hope,” she said.

Initially, her daughter refused to join, thinking they were tricking her just to arrest her along other street children. But after completing hairdressing training, "her behavior changed completely, she became clean, disciplined, and confident.”

"Seeing her graduate and being welcomed at a hotel like Marriott, a place we only hear about on the news, was overwhelming,” the mother said with full of emotions.

Jean d’Amour Munyambonera from Nyagatare, who never studied beyond primary school, had dreamed his daughter would reach university. When pregnancy ended those plans, life became "very hard.”

His daughter not only completed her training but scored 80 out of 100 on her certificate. "I encourage other parents not to give up on their children,” he said. "With guidance and support, children can change.”

A model for sustainable impact

Jean-Bosco Byukusenge, who taught English and entrepreneurship to the girls, emphasized the unique approach. "Before teaching these children, we first listened to them. Their situations were different from other students. They had lost the motivation to learn.”

The boot camps helped them "regain the mindset of students” and rebuild confidence. "Many are now self-reliant,” he said.

Graduates from Nyagatare have started their cooperatives. Yet Musanze are in process of registering their cooperatives. Others continue formal education with school fees covered, while some receive support to start small businesses.

Grace Girls Coalition, a community-based initiative founded on the belief that every girl deserves a chance to lead, has successfully run four girls camps across Nyagatare and Musanze districts.

Each camp provides safe spaces for mentorship, leadership training and life skills development, followed by six-month vocational training programmes customized to local community needs.