BUGESERA - Imbuto Foundation yesterday rewarded 104 best performing female students who excelled in the national examinations of last year both in Kigali City and in the Bugesera District of the Eastern Province.

This was during the ceremony that was held at St. Joseph Technical School in Nyamirambo.

While addressing students who had gathered from various districts, the Minister of Foreign affairs, Rosemary Museminali on behalf of the Patron of the Foundation, First Lady Jeannette Kagame, congratulated the best students and advised them to maximise their potential so that they contribute to nation building in future.

"With hard work you have managed to achieve such great recognition so those certificates should be a motivation that will enable you to work even harder. It is also important for girls to venture into other fields like sciences which are mainly dominated by boys.”

"Most developed countries started by embracing sciences so once you excel in this field then Rwanda will not need to acquire expatriates to undertake major projects like construction and engineering, among others. Set the pace now so that future generations can follow this development strategy.”

In relation to this advice, Rhona Nyakulama, an engineer narrated her life story and journey towards achieving her dream of engineering thus proving that anything is possible with determination, for the girl child.

The represented districts include Gasabo, Nyarugenge, Kicukiro and Bugesera. On behalf of Kigali City, the Mayor, Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira also thanked Imbuto Foundation for this programme and the girls for being exemplary through this achievement.

"You have not only been rewarded for academic excellence but also for your good discipline that enabled you focus on education despite the various distractions that may face the girl-child. Each of you should set right their priorities so that you maximise your potential and emerge as better leaders of tomorrow,” she said.

The best three female students at Senior Six level were rewarded with HP laptops that are offered by the Foundation’s partner, James Ofwona while the rest of the students won scholastic materials like calculators, mathematical sets, clocks and Rwf 20,000 cash, among others.

On behalf of the rewarded students, Véronique Ishimwe, who passed with AAAAAA in Senior Six also thanked the Foundation for the rewards, emphasising that girls are more determined than ever to work as hard as their male counterparts.

She also promised to be one of the best economists in the country in future.

Since its initiation in 2004, Imbuto Foundation, which operates under the Office of the First Lady, has rewarded over 2,000 girls countrywide in a bid to boost girl-child education.

Major partners in this cause include the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Ministry of Education, Rwanda Information Technology Authority and James Ofwona, a philanthropist.

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