Technical and vocational skills are essential for any country to achieve sustainable development, Hope Tumukunde, the City of Kigali vice-mayor, has said.

Tumukunde was presiding over the graduation ceremony of 22 young mothers and other disadvantaged youth at the House of Shepherd tailoring and design institute on Friday in Kigali. Of the 22 graduates, 20 were women.

Two trained in fashion design and 18 graduated in tailoring. The school has over 70 students.

Kimironko-based House of Shepherd runs the technical and vocational education training school that targets disadvantaged youth. The Workforce Development Authority (WDA) supports some of youth who study at the institute.

"Tailoring and fashion design are some of the skills that enable youth to create their own jobs because there is a ready market for clothes in Rwanda. Therefore, if you use these skills well, you will be able to change your lives and those of your families,” Tumukunde said. She urged the graduates to form a co-operative and work together as a team, arguing that there is strength in team work.

Maureen Ainembabazi, the House of Shepherd managing director, said they want to empower school dropouts and other disadvantaged youth with vocational skills that will help them get a sustainable source of income to cater for their families.

Gloria Gukunda, who trained in tailoring, said the skills she acquired will help her start up a tailoring business.

"I thank the government for supporting technical schools, and helping people like me who didn’t go to schools to learn skills that will make me self-reliant,” Gukunda.