The Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy (AGGP) announces the launch of the Wavumbuzi Entrepreneurship Challenge – a free 6-week online gamified learning programme that kicks off in January 2021. After successful implementation of the Wavumbuzi programme in South Africa since 2017 and in Kenya in 2019 and 2020, the first edition of the Wavumbuzi challenge comes to Rwanda with the objective to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset amongst Rwanda’s Secondary School learners. In the face of an increasingly volatile, uncertain and complex world, preparing the youth with the necessary skills and competencies they need for the future, can make the difference as to whether they embrace the constantly changing circumstances they are confronted with, or whether they are defeated by them. Wavumbuzi aims to prepare learners for these changing circumstances by developing a new way of thinking about all interactions within the world. Focused on developing an entrepreneurial mindset based on 5 characteristics – drive, resilience, self-efficacy, initiative and innovative thinking, Wavumbuzi engages learners in a fun, interactive and engaging learning experience that will equip them for success as they enter the future labour market. The Wavumbuzi Curriculum is delivered to secondary school learners currently in S1 – S6 in roughly 50 micro-challenge with new challenges being announced every week over the full 6-week period. Each challenge aims to create a memorable experience that is both practical and relevant in real-world scenarios. In the first week of the challenge, 2900 students, 508 teachers, and 250 schools registered for the challenge. The first week of the challenge consisted of the students getting acquainted with the portal and competing to put forth the solutions for the first challenge. For each challenge, there is a skill distribution table to help learners understand what skills they will develop after the completion of the challenge. Moreover, schools with limited resources lobbied for more data, and kept computer rooms open in the evenings and on the weekend to ensure that learners have access to the internet and can adequately compete. As part of the Wavumbuzi Challenge, we understand the influential role teachers play in the lives of their learners and we’re building a community of next-generation educators with 21st century learning tools to encourage them to take part in the Wavumbuzi Curriculum as practical extension of the existing competency-based curriculum in Entrepreneurship. Therefore, teachers attended a series of intro webinars, where they were taken through how to utilise the Teacher Portal. It was also an opportunity for them to ask any questions and flag concerns. Denis Muhumuza, an Economics and Business Studies teacher at Riviera high school said, Wavumbuzi is a great opportunity and a platform for me as a teacher and most importantly my students. It will polish their skills of critical thinking about Entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity and prepare them for the challenges of the time in business and avail possible solutions. The Wavumbuzi Challenge continues into its 2nd week, and we invite you to keep up to date with news, updates and winners by visiting the Wavumbuzi website - www.wavumbuzi.africa/rwanda.
