Girls swept top positions during the annual Best Young Innovators Awards at the YouthConnekt Convention on Wednesday.

Among the three finalists were two girls who walked away with cash prizes.

From 90 contestants, 27-year-old Assoumpta Uwamariya, from Rubavu District, emerged the best young innovator, bagging Rwf5 million for her exploits.

Emmanuel Mukurarinda, from Gakenke District, who makes clothes from leather, came second and won Rwf3 million, while Christine Ashimwe was third, bagging Rwf2 million. Ashimwe also won Rwf1 million prize from Ni Nyampinga, a women magazine.

The remaining 27 contestants also got Rwf500,000 each.

Uwamariya, who makes wine from chard and honey, said the prize will help her expand her business.

"I am really happy for this. I am going to buy new equipment and grow my business, extend my support to children that I help as well as share my knowledge with other youth so that they can also develop themselves,” Uwamariya said.

She advised the youth and girls, in particular, to overcome fear and embrace job creation.

"Dare to start small, you will grow big. I started my business in January with Rwf20,000 that I got from a savings group I joined and saved Rwf200 per week. The challenge I have is that I don’t satisfy the market demand,” she said.

Uwamariya’s business has started to gain ground on local and regional market and she aspires to expand her business to international level.

Uwamariya, who studied Clinical Psychology at university, has never applied for a job because her dream is self-employment.

"I had the ambition to have my own business. I underwent some training and honed my skills that helped me to pursue that dream,” she said.

Young entrepreneurs presented different innovations in the areas of ICT, manufacturing, fashion, handcraft, among others.

In ICT, Benjamin Kazitunga, Jean Regis Mucyo and Claude Ishimwe were the winners and walked away with Made-in-Rwanda laptops.

Christine Ashimwe, who represented a company from Gashora Girls School that makes butter, said the award will help them work way more than they are doing.

Ashimwe said there are many opportunities that the youth should seize.

"Young people should be hungry for every new experience and keep on grabbing every opportunity to build on. For ladies, this is a proof that they are capable of doing anything,” she said.

The event was graced by ministers of Sports and Culture, Gender and Family Promotion as well as Youth and ICT.

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