FEATURED: World Vision's ‘Youth Ready’ initiative to empower 8,000 agents of change

World Vision Rwanda, a division of the global humanitarian and development organization dedicated to empowering children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, unveiled its Youth Ready program on Friday, April 26. Youth Ready represents a signature Positive Youth Development project model with an adaptable and holistic approach, aimed at equipping young people to become healthy, productive, and socially engaged agents of positive change. Officials emphasize that World Vision adopts a multi-sectoral approach to assist vulnerable youth in fragile contexts, helping them discover their potential, plan for the future, and develop the skills, support, resources, character, and confidence needed to succeed in both work and life. Pauline Okumu, National Director of World Vision International, Rwanda, highlighted the program's twin goals of preparing youth for economic opportunities and fostering a commitment to contributing to the common good and caring for others. There is significant untapped potential among today's youth, Okumu noted at the launch event. To unlock and maximize this potential, we must provide increased access to opportunities, entrepreneurship, and educational services. Speaking to the press, Robert Mwesigwa, Executive Secretary of the National Youth Council, emphasized the need for collaborative relationships and local partnerships to effectively implement youth development initiatives. “These partnerships should involve families, community leaders, youth-serving and youth-led organizations, the private sector, academic institutions, and providers of vocational training, financial services, and health services.” Mwesigwa addressed critical issues affecting youth, highlighting family dynamics as a major cause of school dropouts. He emphasized the importance of building strong families to support youth education and combat peer group influences that lead to substance abuse and dropout rates. Despite societal challenges, Mwesigwa acknowledged government initiatives facilitating youth re-engagement in education. “The program aims to train 8,000 youth from 14 districts. To ensure the effectiveness of these efforts, there is a focus on preventing misuse of resources received by participants, as seen in previous programs where tools and equipment were sold instead of being used for employment. Enhanced coordination among district teams is crucial for the success of this initiative, involving youth identification, selection, and government involvement throughout the process. This approach ensures effective follow-up to maximize productive use of resources and benefits for all participants,” he said. In a press interview, Lemlem Kebede, Program Manager at World Vision Canada, detailed the Youth Ready program's approach to youth development. She explained the program's two-stage experience, emphasizing the empowerment of youth for success in work and life through strengthened skills, agency, voice, vision, resilience, and positive relationships in the initial stage. “In the subsequent stage, empowered youth are connected to meaningful opportunities and supported in pursuing personal development and livelihood pathways defined in the first stage.” Kebede explained that over time, youth will engage in a human-centered design process, researching and understanding a global social challenge that directly affects their community. “They will collaborate in small teams to design, prototype, test, and refine practical solutions, culminating in a competitive presentation of their ideas. Through this process, youth develop skills as social innovators, learning to solve complex problems and become agents of positive change within their community and beyond.” Regarding project success metrics, Kebede outlined key indicators: equipping youth with knowledge, skills, competencies, and mindsets necessary for livelihood, decision-making participation, and resilience; ensuring access to information and services such as sexual and reproductive health, mental health, and youth-friendly financial products; and providing opportunities for civic engagement and economic empowerment. Kebede emphasized that empowered youth would make healthy choices, engage in economic opportunities, and contribute positively to their communities. Valentine Byiringiro, a Youth Ready trainer from Huye district, highlighted the impact of the program. Byiringiro shared her experience of experimenting with new ideas, attitudes, and behaviors during training, emphasizing the untapped potential within individuals to respond to economic opportunities and positively impact their communities, particularly in rural areas where opportunities are limited. We come from rural areas where opportunities are limited, particularly for children with disabilities who face stigma and discouragement, even from their parents. This negativity often leads to depression and a loss of hope. I am passionate about supporting these individuals and ensuring they have the opportunities they deserve to build meaningful lives for themselves. Discussing the program's values instilled in trainees, Byiringiro stressed the importance of self-awareness and self-belief among youth from vulnerable communities. She emphasized teaching participants that their lives have purpose, value, and meaning, fostering trust in their ability to shape their futures and become agents of positive change within their communities—a goal she believes will be achieved over the program's three-year duration. The Youth Ready projects are designed not only to prepare young people for economic and civic participation but also to provide them with access to these opportunities. Each participant develops a personalized development and livelihood pathway plan that outlines specific steps for entering the workforce: Within the Education Pathways, youth are supported in attending Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), returning to school, or pursuing university education. In terms of Employment, youth receive assistance with internships, job search support, or exploration of innovative employment pathways. For Entrepreneurship, guidance is offered in business plan development, youth-friendly financing options, and connections with youth entrepreneur networks.

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FEATURED: World Vision's ‘Youth Ready’ initiative to empower 8,000 agents of change