The National Youth Council (NYC) on Friday launched a campaign that will see 240 young Rwandans acquire vocational training skills free of charge. 

The director of Youth Empowerment at the NYC, Tharcisse Nsanzimana, said that the programme will enable beneficiaries join the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) in Kigali. 

"We need to give the youth a chance to get skills of life and by doing this I am sure that those who will benefit will be able to respond to the market demand in terms of skills demanded in the job market,” he said. 

He explained that the move is focused at fight unemployment as well as promoting the government’s initiative of producing more job makers than seekers. 

This is also seen as a step taken towards contributing towards a successful implementation of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II) which focuses on addressing vocational skills gaps among other issues. 

According to the requirements for one to benefit from the initiative, students must be between 18 and 35 years of age. They should not be among those benefiting from other government sponsorship programmes and must have completed primary education among other requirements. 

District authorities have also started submitting applications of those who applied there, using an online platform at www.nyc.gov.rw.