Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Rwanda works at the intersection of youth leadership, social entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation to support young women to develop and lead solutions to the problems they face in their communities.

On Friday July 23, DOT Rwanda announced 2021-2022 Digital Champions and Business Coaches who will contribute to the digitization of businesses targeting 70% women between the age of 18 and 35 years old in 18 districts across the country.

The first phase to include Gasabo, Kicukiro, Nyarugenge, Huye, Nyanza, Kamonyi, Muhanga, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Kirehe, Nyagatare, Rulindo, Musanze, Gicumbi, Rubavu, Rusizi, Karongi and Ngororero.

The virtual event was graced by the DOT Rwanda key partners, including the keynote speaker Executive Secretary of National Youth Council (NYC), Mr Robert Mwesigwa, representing the Ministry of Youth and Culture (MYCULTURE); the representatives from the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT); Rwanda Governance Board (RGB); Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (CYE); Rwanda Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs (RCWE); City of Kigali, Director General of Community Mobilization and Youth Volunteers and different officials from the eighteen (18) districts of Rwanda in which the Digital Champions and Business Coaches will soon be deployed.

Over the last six weeks, the 66 Digital Champions and Business Coaches (40 female, 26 male) have been undergoing the DOT’s online learning and training from which they gained digital citizenship, digital skills for business, and community leadership skills. They built facilitation and coaching skills and capacity to manage (physical and virtual) learning.

The selected were unemployed recent university or college graduates or young community leaders. They are tech savvy with business knowledge, passionate for gender inclusion, transformation and community empowerment. They are based in the communities in which they will serve and will collaborate remotely with peer youth and young entrepreneurs.

They will serve under the DOT Rwanda’s recently launched projects; the Daring to Shift (D2S) under the Global Affairs Canada partnership and Digital Skills for Business (D24B) through partnership with the World Bank’s Digital Development Partnership (DDP) as well as EQUALS’ Access Coalition and the GSMA.

In the next three years, DOT Rwanda will engage 70% young women (18-35 years) to leverage growing digital ecosystems and create new pathways for employment and digital opportunities focusing on Business Improvement Program through the integration of new digital tools and technologies; Community Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship

Through the Business Improvement pillar, DOT Rwanda will provide young women, owners of small, micro and informal businesses - particularly those socio-economically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic - with the digital business skills to empower them to boost their ICT knowledge and leverage the use of ICT tools to enhance their businesses. The program will also help create partnerships, linkages, coaching and mentorship to support business establishment, growth and sustainability.

"DOT Rwanda invests in creativity and innovations for young women and men. This first cohort of 66 Digital Champions and Business Coaches are going to contribute towards the inclusion of women in the digital economy by equipping, empowering and enabling them to bridge the gender digital divide and develop female-led enterprises,” said Regional Advisor, Africa and DOT Rwanda Country Director, Violette Uwamutara

"For the youth and women, owners of small, micro and informal businesses to be trained,” she said, there will be improvement in their entrepreneurial, leadership and ICT skills. They will integrate and increase the use of new digital tools and technologies in their operations. They will also increase understanding, knowledge and access to digital safety and security”, noted Violette.

"The Digital Champions and Business Coaches will be provided with continuous training and career advancement opportunities,” she mentioned. They will be supported to build strong digital identities to attract supporters or secure employment.”

Upon completing the program, Digital Champions and Business Coaches are expected to leverage their leadership skills and real-world experience to gain access to employment opportunities, become leaders of local community development initiatives or start their own social enterprises

Graduates speak out

Pascaline Ineza, a Digital Champion and Business Coach based in Rulindo District, commended DOT Rwanda for the programmes that create opportunities for the youth and women.

"As a young girl, I was always fascinated by ICT, leadership and business skills. My dreams have now been realized through the DOT Rwanda’s Training of Trainers. I am ready to create employment opportunities and transfer digital skills to other young entrepreneurs in my community,” she said.

She added that the gained skills are very important in this period under the Covid-19 pandemic which has revealed that digital skills are paramount for any type of business.

Noella Muragijimana, Digital Champion and Business Coach from Gasabo district added, "I have gained skills on how to help girls and women who still face challenges to access digital skills to improve their businesses.

John Migambi, another Digital Champion and Business Coach from Ngororero district said that the digital skills will help women and young entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.

"We learned how to help women and young entrepreneurs to integrate new digital tools and technologies in their operations. We also gained skills that will help us to bridge the gender digital divide in our communities. As champions, we are capable of creating job opportunities using the acquired digital skills,” he said.

In his keynote remarks, Robert Mwesigwa, the Executive Secretary of the National Youth Council lauded DOT Rwanda for the 10 years of close collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and with the National Youth Council; he urged the youth to leverage the offered opportunities and be the real change makers in their communities.

"Covid-19 pandemic has affected businesses, however the youth with skills and opportunities can bring innovative solutions to deal with pandemic effects in communities. The trained Digital Champions and Business Coaches should use the skills in developing and transforming businesses in their communities,” he said.

He noted that the package of being community leaders should make the youth real agents of change in their communities.

"Be agents of change in the community, be decision makers and influencers in the interest of the community members, and work in teams and be tactical to deliver,” he added.

Dr Emmanuel Nzeyimana, DOT Rwanda Deputy Director said that over the last decade, DOT Rwanda has established a strong and innovative alumni network of 821 youth Digital Champions, Community Leaders, and Social Innovators of whom 60 per cent are women, who have empowered their peers and community members.

"DOT Rwanda’s partnerships have been the key to delivering sustainable social impact. We collaborate with a broad network of partners across civil society, the private sector, and government to give young people what they need to create opportunities and transform their communities,” said Dr. Emmanuel

Through the DOT Rwanda’s programs, 109,000 (50 per cent women) community members in total have been empowered with digital, entrepreneurial and leadership skills, resilience, and networks to secure and create meaningful livelihoods and contribute to the development of their communities.