Four innovative solutions that promote sexual reproductive health and mental health have been awarded a $10,000 cash prize each by Imbuto Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Culture, UNFPA and KOICA. The awarding ceremony was virtually held on Friday, March 19 together with virtual Youth Forum Series themed: “COVID-19, Mental Health, and Sexual Reproductive Health: Uncertainty, Reflection and Action” which focused on discussing the impact of COVID 19 on Mental Health and Access to Sexual Reproductive Health information and services. The prizes are part of Innovation Accelerator programme (iAccelerator) phase III, a mentorship-driven acceleration programme, supporting young entrepreneurs with seed funding, training and skills development to generate innovative solutions in response to challenges related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, sexuality education, family planning, maternal health, mental health and other population development issues. The winning innovative solutions include Urujeni project by Aimee Laetitia Umubyeyi whose solution is an education and awareness programme aimed at disseminating sexual reproductive health information among persons with disabilities across the country. There is also Menya Wirinde project by Emmanuel Habiyambere and Oreste Hafashimana whose solution is a media series through YouTube and other mediums that will focus on raising awareness of mental health and availing sexual reproductive health information and services to the youth. The two other solutions are Ubumuntu organization project by Marie Odile Ndayishimiye Uwineza and Charline Mugeniwayesu which looks at the holistic, mental, spiritual, financial and social empowerment of teen mothers as well as Mizero Care Organization project by Josiane Umurerwa and Dan Hirwubaruta which aims at facilitating access to mental health information and service delivery though counselling sessions and campaigns to promote mental health. Speaking at the virtual awarding ceremony, Sandrine Umutoni, Director General, Imbuto Foundation said that the Foundation received a total of 690 submissions from Rwandans between the age of 18 and 30 of which 40 were selected in Phase 3 of the Programme. Ten young innovators were selected to take part in Imbuto Foundation’s iAccelerator boot camp. Of these, four projects have been awarded $10,000 seed funding each in the final pitching and are expected to also get mentorship and business development training. Umutoni reiterated that seed funding aims to empower the youth who have innovative solutions. “We have to empower youth who think critically and creatively including those with solutions for people with disabilities. The projects we selected were supposed to address challenges by availing accessible adolescent sexual reproductive health information and services for adolescents and youth with disabilities as well increasing knowledge and awareness on mental health issues faced by adolescents and young adults,” she said. Among the criteria, she said, included financial viability, evidence-based innovation and originality of innovation of the projects. The Minister of Youth and Culture, Rosemary Mbabazi urged the youth to also leverage the economic recovery fund to implement different projects. “It is a good step to see more talented youth. They should also leverage the economic recovery fund amid the Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, the fund has allocated Rwf15 billion through Business Development Fund (BDF) to support youth’s projects to get capital cash flows. Youth should think big and leverage such opportunities,” she said.
