Sangira
Equipping young people in Rwanda with job market skills
The district of Nyamasheke, in the West part of Rwanda, has the country’s highest poverty rate, with 62% of people living below the poverty line. Youth unemployment is estimated to be around 92%.
At the same time, Nyamasheke is a region of natural beauty, close to the shores of Lake Kivu and hosting one of Rwanda’s main national parks, Nyungwe, that received around 20,000 visitors per year before COVID19. Tourism is a key contributor to the Rwandan economy, generating more than 20% of total export earnings from goods and services.
Sangira’s goal is to equip young people in Nyamasheke with the skills they need to take advantage of employment opportunities in the hospitality sector. In 2022, Sangira launched a hospitality school in Nyamasheke that train young people in culinary arts, front office management, housekeeping and food and beverage service. The first cohort of 120 students aged 19-25, of which 53% young women, graduated in July 2023.
The training includes 6 months of classes and practice and 3 months of internship in the hospitality sector: over 20 Rwandan businesses (hotels and restaurants) hosted the first cohort of Sangira interns. Students from the school also have a chance to put their skills to test at the Sangira restaurant that opened in Kagano in February 2023, which serves drinks and meals to the local community and tourists. The training also includes modules in highly transferable skills such as English, entrepreneurship and I.T.
With Be That Girl’s contribution, Sangira will continue to improve the quality of their training, invest in essential equipment for the school such as laptops, coffee and baking machineries, bring international hospitality experts to teach at the school and include dedicated activities for the female students, such as self-confidence and leadership courses, to help them overcome obstacles related to gender bias.
Key numbers
Training 80-120 young people from Nyamasheke in hospitality every 9 months
6 months of classes and practice, followed by 3 months internship in the hospitality sector
MoUs signed with over 20 Rwandan businesses to train Sangira interns
Students selected among secondary school graduates with existing level of good English and motivated to learn about the hospitality sector
MAIN GOALS
70% of Sangira graduates to find employment in the hospitality sector after completion of the course
30% of Sangira graduates to start entrepreneurial activities following graduation
Increase acceptance of TVET as valid avenue for higher education and employment
Support the goal of the Rwandan government to increase the share of secondary school graduates pursuing TVET from 31.1% in (2017) to 60% by 2024 to address the challenge of mismatch in labor market demand
