Generation rise
Helping young women in rwanda succeed at university and beyond
Despite great efforts by the Rwandan Government to advance gender equality in various aspects of society, obstacles such as poverty and discriminating gender norms still lead to inequality in education outcomes and later on in the labor market and in other lucrative opportunities. Girls, especially from underprivileged families, often can’t exercise their rights to advanced education: in higher public learning institutions across Rwanda, males make up 68.9%, while females only 31.1%.
Generation Rise is a community organisation empowering girls and young women in Rwanda with life skills and mentoring to confront challenges, succeed in their education and realise their ambitions.
Some of the girls in their programmes have qualified for government scholarships that cover academic fees for university for those from the poorest families, thanks to their academic excellence. However, university fees are just one of the costs: their families would not be able to support them with accommodation, medical insurance and materials to go through their studies in dignity. At the same time, girls from underprivileged families have less access to the life skills they need to succeed at university, such as how to apply to internships and navigate campus life.
The Be That Girl/Generation Rise scholarship programme aims to fill these gaps by providing selected young women with a holistic package of support that includes financial aid to complement the government scholarship and mentoring and training adapted to their needs over the 4 years of studies.
The goal is to maximise their chances of succeeding at university and then in the job market and access leadership positions in the future. Among the skills included in the mentoring, the girls will learn how to mobilize for collective action, becoming advocates for structural change on inclusive education in their communities and beyond.
Key numbers
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Aged 20-25 years old;
Graduates of Generation Rise “Her Voice Matters” mentoring programme;
Belonging to families classified as Ubudehe 1 & 2 (lowest income) by the government;
Family size: at least 5 members including parents and siblings;
From rural and semi-urban areas; and
Have been awarded government scholarship for academic excellence.
MAIN GOALS
Support girls from underprivileged families to acquire higher education in dignified and stable conditions;
Provide career guidance and other life skills to prepare the girls to compete in the labor market; and
Increase representation of girls in male dominated careers to create role models for the upcoming younger generations; and
Support evidence based advocacy for improved social protection for the most vulnerable girls to achieve equal access to education and better education outcomes.
