Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi has advised young Rwandan men and women, not to sit back and wait for jobs, but strive towards setting up income generating activities.

The Prime Minister was speaking on Friday during graduation ceremony for 2000 youth who competed a job-creation training, organised by the National Employment Programme.

The programme, dubbed "Kora Wigire,” is designed to address unemployment among youth.

The graduates were equipped with vocational, entrepreneurship and business skills. 

"Our vision will be reached only if we partner in reducing the rate of unemployment in the country. Most youth especially in cities are unemployed. Only job creation and innovation will create sufficient employment opportunities,” Murekezi said.

He pledged Government support and emphasized that nothing is impossible for the youth if they do their part by working hard.

"Work is the engine of our survival. Work drives individual and the country’s development,” he said. 

Murekezi also acknowledged the various stakeholders who have made possible programs designed to create jobs and reduce unemployment.

Made in Rwanda

The Premier advised the graduates to use their skills to make quality Rwandan products that would not only substitute imports but also qualify for export. 

Clementine Mukakora from Gicumbi District said that she had acquired business skills from the training and was putting them to use. 

"As we were trained, we started taking loans from Business Development Fund (BDF). With Rwf 500,000, I started a business of laying bricks, which is doing well as a result of the training” Mukakora said.

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