A total of 30 interns (ffacilitators and employment coaches) who secured a 12-months paid internship programme with Digital Opportunity Trust — Rwanda (DOT Rwanda) graduated at a colourful ceremony held at Lemigo Hotel last Friday. 

The interns completed a seven week online and face-to-face Intern Learning Experience that prepared them to deliver DOT’s Reach Up programme in their respective communities.

The programme empowers community members with entrepreneurship, ICT, empowerment, financial literacy and work readiness skills. The interns are to be deployed in 16 districts around the country.

At the occasion graced by the Minister of Public Service and Labour, Anastase Murekezi, DOT Rwanda also presented findings from a recent market research on the transition of out-of-school youth (16-30yrs) to employment and enterprise. 

The study was conducted in 12 districts with the objective of getting information on the current situation and future trends on education, employment and entrepreneurship. The study focuses on the challenges and opportunities that exist for out-of-school youth.  

The study was carried out as part of DOT Rwanda’s new project, Youth Leading Change that seeks to connect young people to employment opportunities and expanding youth-led businesses. 

Over 150 DOT Rwanda interns (facilitators) are expected to train and transition another 7,500 Rwandan youth to employment, self employment or further education in the next three years. 

Murekezi urged the youth to think beyond the city when seeking employment opportunities. "Naturally many youth live the countryside for the city in a bid to find jobs and yet for example areas such as Musanze and Rubavu have a vibrant tourism sector that can employ many young people,” he said. 

According to Cecile Mbashimishe, DOT Rwanda’s communications officer, a lot of effort is put in helping the youth to find what they are good at and what works for them. "Some of the youth start out wanting to do lots of things but we encourage them to go for what they feel they are best suited. We give them general skills and they decide as mature people,” she said. 

DOT Rwanda was awarded funding to run its programmes by the Canadian International Development Agency and the MasterCard Foundation.