When parents of Marceline Tumurere passed away in 2012, she immediately dropped out of school.
Since then, she has been living with her brother who could not afford to send her to school.
However, the orphan has started generating income from tailoring, thanks to the TVET skills she learned in 2018 through New Hope Technical Institute in Nyamirambo sector of Kigali city.
She said she saves over Rwf60,000 from tailoring business every month.
"With income I generate from tailoring business, I have managed to renovate our residential house. I am looking to buy more tailoring machines and set up my own tailoring workshop. I tailor dresses, bags, trousers, and others,” she said.
Grace Umulisa, who completed high school in 2017 but she could not get a job, joined the TVET school in culinary arts which she completed last year paving the way to easily create jobs.
"I currently have a permanent job at the restaurant and I also do other casual work to generate more money. I often get part-time jobs to make cocktails, salads and to cook. Through negotiations, I can secure Rwf250,000, from wedding ceremonies. With some savings, I am planning to set up my own restaurant,” she said.
She said that with the business she is planning to launch, she will be able to afford tuition fees once she joins the university.
The young girls are part of about 2,000 vulnerable survivors of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, orphans, street children and other vulnerable people that have so far been trained on TVET courses for over the past 21 years in New Hope Technical Institute run by Women’s Association for World Peace.
They are 1663 female and 184 male students who have graduated in dressmaking, hairdressing and beauty treatment, Culinary Arts.
A recent survey found that 60 per cent of the trainees practice their skills, 18 per cent have changed their careers by having either pursued higher education or done other jobs.
Eng. Pascal Gatabazi, The Director-General of Workforce Development Authority said that the government wants 60 per cent of students completing ordinary level and high school to join TVET so as to easily create or get jobs.
However, he said some young are too vulnerable to afford the cost of pursuing TVET.
"We are working with private partners who demonstrate a big heart to support the neediest people to acquire TVET skills as well as get jobs or create their own jobs,” he said.
Under the five years strategic plan, employers’ satisfaction level with TVET graduates is expected to reach 85 per cent by 2024 from 78 per cent currently.
Georgette Umubyeyi, the president of Women’s Association for World Peace Rwanda, said the school is adding two floors, to accommodate woodworking and welding classes, dressmaking and embroidery workshops, a beauty salon and a restaurant.
In the near future, the school intends to start evening classes in culinary Arts, dressmaking, hairdressing and modern languages, she added.
"By expanding the building, we will include where the students will be carrying out internship,” she said.
Moriko Hori, the President of Women’s Federation for World Peace/Japan that supports the association said: "In Rwanda, we are helping to manage the vocational centre so that the needy children get some skills and earn money. There are good results of students who are becoming professionals; they have their own jobs and have hope for their future,” she said.
editor@newtimesrwanda.com