Private sector players have been urged to invest in programmes that build the capacity of youth and support efforts geared at job-creation and skills development.

Dr Kennedy Mubaiwa, the director for education at HigherLife Foundation, said when firms support education and capacity building programmes targeting young people, they benefit in terms of getting new clients and skilled personnel.

Mubaiwa was speaking during a breakfast meeting to sensitise stakeholders in education and business community about the online mentorship programme targeting youth and students in Kigali yesterday. The mentorship programme is supported by Liquid Telecom and Kwese TV.

How the programme works

The online mentorship programme is conducted on Saturdays. HigherLife invites mentors from different fields, say Africans studying robotics in universities abroad, to mentor African students on the role of robotics on the continent.

"We want to make sure that we use all resources available to us to impact the youth who are leaders of tomorrow,” said Mubaiwa.

The online mentorship platform started in 2015. HigherLife is funded by Liquid Telecom and Kwese TV.

"We use an online platform called UBA conference, where we log in and chat with different mentors on our dreams and goals. The mentors guide and give us advice on how we can achieve those dreams,” said Fred Kayitare, 20, who studied high school in Swaziland on a scholarship from HigherLife. The youth has also got another scholarship for his university studies in America.