The youth must believe in their dreams and strive to work hard in order to achieve them, because an enabling environment has been created for them to realise their potential.

The Minister for Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, delivered the message during his visit to Charis, a company started by a Rwandan youth that is using drone technology for agriculture, mapping and construction surveys.

Minister Nsengimana was given a guided tour of the laboratories where works related to drone technology are carried out by Eric Rutayisire, ehief executive and founder of Charis and Teddy Segore, the company’s chief technical officer and a drone pilot.

During the tour, demonstrations were carried out to show how the different drone-aided services are carried out.

Nsengimana appreciated the innovation by the young entrepreneurs, calling for public and private institutions to embrace new technology to ease works.

He also called for more awareness especially on new technology like drones, saying that people may have a wrong perception if not well explained to.

"For example, people may have wrong perceptions about drone technology. They would think that this kind of technology is there for only foreign countries not Rwanda. Awareness is needed to change such perceptions,” Nsengimana said.

The minister appreciated the company’s operation.

"When you follow their work, you realise that they know what they are doing. They learnt and understand it. They are start-ups but expecting to grow to the level the country envisions,” he added.

Nsengimana cautioned the company that although they are the first, they have to note that they are not the last.

Rutayisire holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Minnesota, US, and he started using drone technology in 2014. He now owns five drones.

Rutayisire said he is proud of the new technology with the expectations to expand the business to regional level.

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