Resonate, a non-profit social enterprise based in Rwanda that unlocks the leadership potential of women and girls in East Africa, celebrated its 10-year anniversary on November 16. This celebration brought together representatives from government institutions, embassies, UN agencies, local and international nonprofits, corporates, its funding and program partners, the Board of Directors, Advisory Board members, SpeakHer series guest speakers, champions, past and present employees, as well as, participants. An eloquent 60-year-old past participant, Annonciata Mujawayezu, radiates enthusiasm as she stands before a captivated audience in the well-adorned Serena Hotel's auditorium. Dressed in a traditional Umushanana attire bearing the inscription 'Namenye ko nshoboye,' translating to 'I have discovered my potential,' she testifies about a transformation that brought her from a time of silent struggle to confidently address a crowd of hundreds of people. With a knack for humour, Mujawayezu engages the audience, making it difficult to imagine her past as a quiet, timid single mother grappling with poverty. ALSO READ: Resonate: Unlocking women's leadership potential I encountered Resonate through their partnership with Rwanda Women Network in 2017. Honestly, I had come expecting financial assistance at their workshop, and when it didn't materialize, I was disappointed, she candidly revealed. But as the workshop progressed, I became aware of myself, my values, and my accomplishments and gained the confidence to value myself. I left asking myself questions I had never thought about before. Five years later, Mujawayezu stands as the Chairperson of Women in Gisozi, has built rental businesses for the family, and leads a cooperative that accumulates up to Rwf18 million in six months, through which they provide emotional support and financial literacy to women in her community. Marie Claudine Cyuzuzo, a 24-year-old former participant of Resonate, also expressed how Resonate bolstered her confidence, equipped her with the skill to set goals, and helped her realize that small beginnings can lead to significant accomplishments. She operates a mining business and employs 15 people, five under full-time contracts and ten as casual workers. ALSO READ: Resonate on building resilience and achieving an equal world for women during the pandemic Mujawayezu and Cyuzuzo are a few of over 27,000 participants in East Africa positively impacted by Resonate, working through more than 100 partner organizations. ALSO READ: 400 youth graduate from Resonate COVID-19 Recovery Initiatives Resonate exists to bridge the confidence gap for women, pervasive globally and throughout East Africa; this gap translates to missed opportunities for social and economic advancement, perpetuating gender inequalities in leadership, business, higher education, and various sectors. Ayla Schlosser, Co-Founder of Resonate, reflected on the organization's vision: When we founded Resonate, we envisioned a world where women and girls are not afraid to speak up, work, and be leaders in creating the changes they want to see in their lives and communities. “Ten years later, we can actually see the dream unfold,” she added. Claire Uwineza, CEO of Resonate, explaining their approach, said, We partner with organizations providing vocational training, hard skills, or education to women and girls, and we integrate our proven leadership and confidence-building workshops into their existing programs. This complementary strategy ensures that women and girls not only acquire skills but also gain the confidence to turn skills into action. As a result, they have seen an increase in women taking on leadership roles, starting businesses, and advancing academically and professionally, she added. Hon. Sandrine Umutoni, Minister of State for Youth, who attended the celebration as a guest of honor, said, Through your initiatives focusing on leadership, employability skills, and job creation, you have carved a path that supports our government’s vision 2050 for a future where the youth are not just participants, but leaders in their own right.” She also added that “ True leaders are not defined by words, they are defined by the impact they create.” Despite accomplishments, Resonate's recent Randomized Control Trial (RCT) with researchers from Georgetown University and CARE International Rwanda showed a persistent significant confidence gap among women. However, the trial, involving 459 women, demonstrated that those who underwent Resonate's confidence-building and leadership programs earned 116% more income, were 67% more likely to speak up, and were 31% more likely to achieve their goals than the control group (those who didn't participate in their workshops, but received cash which was equivalent to attending the Resonate workshop). Prompted by the findings, Resonate is expanding its reach to women and girls in rural and hard-to-reach communities with a renewed goal to impact 100,000 women and girls. Presently operating in Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya, Resonate offers five programs: Storytelling for Leadership, Professional Development, Action Leadership, Training of Facilitators, and Community Programs. Community Programs include programs like Gira Ubushobozi (Be Powerful) to build employability and job creation of youth, Speak for Change to build leadership skills and self-advocacy for women and girls in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) promotion, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention programs; to help them make informed choices and strengthen their agency and decision-making, and Rise and STEM to support the participation and advancement of women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
