About 70 young people who completed a mentorship programme on February 23 in Ruhango District were urged to use the skills they acquired in developing themselves and contributing to job creation. The third cohort to be trained by Rungano Ndota Initiative, a non-profit organisation whose activities focus on youth empowerment, was made up of 34 men and 33 women. The organisation seeks to help young people from vulnerable backgrounds by empowering them with skills, career guidance and financial support. The target population for its programme include teenage mothers and youth from poor households and those seeking employement. ALSO READ: Inside $200m package for skills development, youth empowerment Speaking about the skills package offered to the youth, Pallotti Vicent Gatera, executive director of the organisation, explained that they provide training through what they call holistic empowerment. “We train them in personal wellness and leadership development, helping them build confidence and discover their strengths,” Gatera told The New Times. Afterward, they encourage the participants to identify what they can do within their communities, in terms of business and get a loan to fund their ideas. “We ask them to look at the needs around them and think about how they can make a difference.” ALSO READ: Rwandan youth urged to tap into opportunities for development To support their initiatives, the organisation provides start-up loans to fund their projects. We want to give them a real chance to succeed,” Gatera said. “With the right support, they can transform their lives, uplift their families, and contribute to the country’s development as a whole.” The organisation has disbursed Rwf80 million to over 300 young people, who have created jobs for more members of their community in Ruhango. One beneficiary of such support is Anselme Byiringiro, from Kinazi Sector, who came from a disadvantaged background that had led him into deviant behavior before he was taken to Nyamagabe Rehabilitation Centre. ALSO READ: Africa counts on young people for development, says UNDP regional director Upon return from rehab, Byiringiro who had got vocational training in electrical mechanics, got to know Rungano Ndota Initiative. “I returned to society, contemplating how I could rebuild trust within the community, he said. Through the initiative, I was given a loan of Rwf600,000, which I used to create my business by purchasing electrical products. I am still in that business today. This has, for sure, helped me shape my future, Byiringiro explained. This was echoed by another youth, Emmanuel Kalisa, also from Kinazi Sector, who had skills in agriculture. “However, I didn't know how to apply the skills I had gained. I had the knowledge, but I wasn't sure how to use it in a practical way, Kalisa said. He received a loan of Rwf800,000, which he added to his savings, to buy a Rwf1.2 million juice processing machine. “My ambition is to have machines like this in every district of the country to continue to provide jobs for other youths and share what I have with others to help develop the country, Kalisa said. “The support I received from the initiative helped me fit back into society and rebuild my life. Without their guidance, I would have struggled to find my place again. They provided me with the tools and resources I needed to move forward.” Alphonsine Mukangenzi, the Vice Mayor of Ruhango in charge of social affairs, commended the activities by non-government organisations like Rungano Ndota Initiative, which help to create jobs for young people and drive positive change in the community. “The country needs youths who can contribute to their families and the whole country in the coming years, Mukangenzi stated. “We now have over 3,000 youths being supported by this project, and those supported are now employing others, which shows us that we are on the right path in fighting joblessness. As the district, we hope that once they become adults, they will have money to support themselves and their families and have a brighter future, she added. Mukangenzi also urged the graduates to use the skills gained through the programme to build their future and create opportunities for others. In this country, we all know that everybody, starting with the youth, must realize that no one will give them support today and continue to give them support tomorrow, she said.
