The YYAS Programme builds and strengthens the capacity, knowledge and access to information for African students to US College admissions procedures and policies.
Through workshops tackling the college application process, essay writing tips and SAT Test preparations, YYAS scholars are assisted with preparing themselves for college admissions abroad.
In addition, each scholar is paired with a mentor, preferably with US college admission experience, who guides a scholar on the role of extra-curricular activities prior to joining a university, choosing what to study for a career path as well as handling international student culture shock in university.
Launched by Her Excellency Mrs Jeannette Kagame in 2013 with the girls mentorship programme, the main activity consisted of coordinating and facilitating the mentorship of young women - survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and members of the Students Association of Genocide Survivors, AERG, on critical thinking, decision-making, and confidence building.
This programme later evolved to also cater for boys and young men from the same background. It consisted of a mentorship and leadership youth forum themed ‘Strong and Dignified’, and focusing on the psychological issues experienced by young men in AERG, as a result of their experiences in the Genocide against the Tutsi.
The Youth Forum Series (YFS), brings together different segments of youth in Rwanda including university students, Genocide survivors, young professionals, entrepreneurs and those living in the diaspora, and features exceptional speakers to address a unique theme, relevant to their needs and aspirations.
The project aims at giving youth a platform to discuss and identify common solutions; by engaging them on national policies and strategies as well as orienting them towards personal development.
This year, as Rwanda commemorated 25 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi, Imbuto Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, organised a National Youth Forum named Kwibuka25 Youth Conversation, engaging 200 Youth representatives from all 30 Districts. The forum discussed two main topics: ‘Notion of a Nation’, and ‘Sustaining Rwanda’s Growth”.
The forum was preceded by a Kwibuka25 tour during which young people visited Elders - Genocide survivors living in Impinganzima hostels - countrywide.
ArtRwanda – Ubuhanzi, a nationwide talent search project, launched in 2018, with the aim of identifying and supporting young and talented Rwandans within the Cultural Creative Industry and promoting job creation.
It consists of a televised search for creative youth in six different categories (plastic arts, music & dance, fashion, acting & drama, photography & cinematography and literature).
ArtRwanda–Ubuhanzi is implemented by Imbuto Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, the Ministry of Sports and Culture and the Rwanda Academy of Language and Culture.
In 2001, the Support to Family Initiatives (SUFI) project was launched to help improve the lives of widows and child-headed households through the use of psychosocial support and incomegenerating activities.
In 2007, SUFI was extended to cater to other vulnerable groups and was renamed Imali project.
Today the project is implemented with the support of Rwanda Governance Board, UNDP, UN Women and Rural Women Economic Empowerment.
Through the project, these vulnerable people are grouped into cooperatives where they are taught how to grow tomatoes in greenhouses and how to manage cooperatives. Once the tomatoes have been harvested, the cooperatives have enough money for members to be financially independent and to enter new business ventures. Beneficiaries receive start-up funds and greenhouses for agricultural activities.
Celebrating Young Rwandan Achievers (CYRWA) awards was established in December 2007, to honour outstanding young Rwandans who strive toward the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishments.
The award ceremony is held every two years in partnership with the Ministry of Youth. To-date, 48 individuals, organisations and enterprises awarded under Youth Connekt Champions and CYRWA Candidates are chosen through a public nomination process and the final selection is made by an Imbuto Foundation panel.
Those awarded have forged paths of leadership for all Rwandan youth to follow.
Through this project:
• 48 young women and men were awarded for their exceptional activities,
• The award ceremonies have been organised for 6 years.
The Innovation Accelerator (iAccelerator) is a mentorship-driven acceleration programme, which aims to promote an entrepreneurial spirit among young people, and encourages them to think critically and creatively on issues related to sexual and reproductive health.
The iAccelerator is a countrywide selection of sustainable and scalable youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health projects. It is an initiative implemented by Imbuto Foundation and UNFPA with funding from UK aid - from the British people.
(http://iaccelerator.rw/)
Through this project:
• 4 teams won grants worth 10,000 USD to set up and implement their projects.
This programme enhances public speaking and confident oral expression for Rwandan youth.
It does this by promoting self-development through debate clubs for out-of-school youth (16-22 years old) and Toastmaster clubs to strengthen communication skills (for 18-30 year olds).
Through this project:
• 2 Toastmasters clubs were established in leading universities (National University of Rwanda and the University of Rwanda College of Science and technology), with a third established by Alumni of both universities,
• 446 members were supported to join Toastmasters clubs.
