The Ministry of Education has encouraged an investor who aims to build 40,000 environmentally-friendly affordable houses in Rwanda to continue transferring innovative and sustainable construction technology to the local population.

During a graduation ceremony of 110 students who trained as technicians in innovative and green construction technology using light steel frames at the ADHI TVET Academy in Kigali, it was announced that the investor, ADHI Corporate Group, plans to construct the targeted number of affordable houses. The academy was established in collaboration with the Rwandan government.

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The academy was established in Kigali by ADHI Corporate Group- the investor in affordable housing-in partnership with the government of Rwanda.

"We want investors in construction to play a role in improving skills of the workforce. It can be done through training and supporting curriculum development. The investor in affordable houses has trained Rwandan youth on new technology and also employed them. We urge investors to continue the same pathway,” said Minister of State in charge of ICT and TVET, Claudette Irere.

She said that through the pilot phase, the government loaned the students to be able to pursue a one-year short course programme at the academy so that they repay as they get jobs.

"If found viable, we will continue to increase skills for others through such loan scheme,” she noted.

The school fees are $3,329 for students pursuing a programme that is certified by National Open College Network (NOCN) of the United Kingdom (UK), $3,480 fee for international students.

Those eligible should have completed A2 level in TVET schools or completed Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleges.

"We find the courses important on the Rwanda market given that they were not being taught in Rwanda and not used in the construction sector,” she said.

Hassan Adan Hassan, the Managing Director of ADHI-Rwanda told The New Times that the firm is targeting to construct 40,000 green affordable houses over the next 13 years in Rwanda.

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"We have already constructed 245 houses in the first phase. We have to deliver 2,000 homes in phase two and we have an implementation agreement contract with the government of Rwanda to deliver 40,000 homes in the next 13 years,” he said.

The houses are being constructed in the estate which is called Bwiza Riverside Homes in Karama, Nyarugenge district, Kigali city.

"As we implement the project we have to impart skills to the locals. We trained them on soft skills such as project management to understand how the project is going and cost management production and technical skills on production, assembling and erection of light steel framing. We have employed all of them,” he said, adding that at least 1,000 workers have to be trained.

"This is construction technology widely adopted in developed countries. People are transitioning from building in reinforced concrete and steels to recyclable materials. That means the houses are constructed to be green buildings,” he noted.

Flower Iradukunda, who was trained on technology being used in Bwiza Riverside Homes estate said that she completed A2 in construction and according to her, the green construction technology using light steel frames is a boost as it was not being used in the housing sector in Rwanda.

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"I can now tap both into the local and international market because many companies are using the technology in other countries,” she said.

David Mugisha, another graduate of the innovative construction technology added that as the technology is scaled in increasing affordable houses across the country, it will create job opportunities for more unemployed youth.

The projects that are in the pipeline could help have 15,000 affordable houses built within six years across the country, Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) acting Director General, Noel Nsanzineza.

He recently said that investors have been urged to embrace technologies that can be used to construct houses that are also affordable to low-income earners.

The City of Kigali alone needs to build 18,000 affordable houses per year in order to meet the accommodation demand from its residents.