Rwanda: Nurturing entrepreneurial talents among the young people
“Nurturing entrepreneurial talents in young people”, that is what ACTEC, a Belgian NGO is doing in Rwanda where, through the five years project, young people from vulnerable families are gaining different entrepreneurship skills besides to courses they have or still pursuing in their respective classes.
It is early in the morning and we are at Don Bosco Muhazi Technical and Vocational Education School. These young people that we are seeing here have either completed their studies in the past years or are yet to graduate.
However, through the ACTEC project, young people have different talents that need to be nurtured irrespective of the trade one has pursued.
This is something new at this school which is located in a rural area of the city of Kigali.
“I graduated from masonry in 2018, and now I am learning Pastry and Bakery.” Niyomugabo Tumusifu said
“This is an opportunity for us to gain more knowledge about Pastry and bakeries. It’s not that I’m failing at construction, but it’s that I’m adding different skills that can help me tomorrow or the next day.” He added.
Mr. Niyomugabo said “ACTEC Entrepreneurship training will increase the entrepreneurship skills so that they can be able to do different jobs by using the acquired skills.
“Having different skills is very important and knowing different professions is an added value.”
“Maybe I can meet someone who wants someone to offer him services related to bakery or pastry, so I’ll go and do it. I can get a job in construction too. So, you can see that one career is not enough these days.” testified Niyomugabo
By focusing on the PROFESSION, ACTEC is enabling these young people to integrate into their societies socially and economically.
ACTEC is currently present in 10 African and Latin American countries. Its strategy, whose objective is to provide A PROFESSION FOR ALL, adjusts to different contexts, depending on the needs, realities and priorities of each country and the potential of each of our partners.