A group of 86 vulnerable youth, yesterday, graduated after completing a 12-month training in various skills, including, fabric design, baking, interior design and computer maintenance, courtesy of Esther’s Aid, an American non-profit Christian organization.

The graduates received certificates from the Country Director of the organisaton, Clare Effiong, at a function that was attended by Senator Odette Nyiramirimo and local leaders.

In her remarks, Effiong commended the youth for striving to live better lives and promised to link them with job opportunities and setting up their own businesses.

"Our main goal is to turn at-risk youth, especially the poor and needy children, into productive adults, through education and development, skills training and empowerment, job training and placement programmes,” Effiong said.

"Most of the beneficiaries today have jobs ready in several places, especially in major hotels around Kigali.”
She added that the training also focused on uplifting the vulnerable girls.

"This is the 7th graduation ceremony we are holding; this time we focused mainly on the girl child, 67 of them are female,” she said.

One of the graduates, 23 year old Violette Habineza, said: "I worked as a housemaid before joining the training. After completing catering skills, I applied at Beau Sejour Hotel in Kigali and confirmed my new job.”

Esther’s Aid is based in New York, USA, and has been operating in Rwanda for the last ten years in the field of empowering vulnerable youths.

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