March 27, 2024, Nyamata, Rwanda – MCW Global, in partnership with its Affiliate, MC-Rwanda, held the Young Leaders Conference in Nyamata, Rwanda. Bringing together 24 participants from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, the Conference aimed to contribute to bridging the gap between education and today’s dynamic and ever-shifting workforce.
The sessions, discussions, and networks created during the Conference empower young people in East and Southern Africa with leadership skills to engage in discussions that affect their communities. The Conference also equipped them with the necessary tools and means to identify and understand the challenges of school-to-work transition in the fields of technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
The first day of the Conference was dedicated to a conversation around building awareness and engaging in change. Young people discussed how to work together to create and maintain a more sustainable transition to the market force for future generations.
“Our goal is clear: to see more youth in vocational education successfully transition into the workforce. This Conference will serve as a platform for young leaders and stakeholders in youth development to explore innovative solutions and address critical gaps in this transition process,” said Olive Safari, MC-Rwanda’s Country Manager, in her opening remarks while giving an overview of the organization’s history and welcoming everyone to Rwanda.
Dr. Charles Robbins, MCW Global Board Member, highlighted the importance of partnerships and this Conference for young people to create solutions to their communities’ needs.
“The participants focused on the successful transition from school to work, entrepreneurship, and leadership through workshops, didactic presentations, experiential activities, and inspirational presentations. We had the opportunity to visit two of MC-Rwanda’s locations to see a tailoring and IT class. The students of these classes shared how these training programs have changed their lives. These programs focus on serving vulnerable youth who come from impoverished backgrounds, are teen mothers, are out of school, or are disabled.”
The second day of the Conference focused on crafting community solutions for impact. Through various sessions, participants learned the importance of networking and collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including educators, development partners, employers, and policymakers, to create sustainable solutions and support mechanisms for community development.
Further, Leon Gojani, MCW Global’s Young Leaders Program Associate, emphasizes: “This is the third year in a row that the Conference is eagerly expressing its interest in communicating, getting to know, and helping the young people of Eastern and Southern Africa concerning their leadership skills. I am overjoyed by their [young people’s] interest and engagement in what the program offers.”
He adds that the interest of local partners is a great accomplishment and legacy of the program.
The Conference’s third day brought fruitful discussions and sessions on strategic visioning and enterprise model development, where participants communicated some organizational models around the identified challenges. They highlighted ways to integrate emerging young TVET graduates into their projects and initiatives.
The Conference also brought together team members of our Affiliates, MC-Tanzania and MC-Zambia. From MCW-Global team present were Regina Leichner, Director of Strategy & Impact, and Dhurata Berisha, Young Leaders Fellowship Coordinator.
The three-day Conference concluded with a closing ceremony in the evening, during which Richard Mutabazi, Mayor of Bugesera District; Freddy Mutanguha, Board Chair of MC-Rwanda; Dr. Charles Robbins, Board Member of MCW Global; and Olive Safari, Country Manager of MC-Rwanda, thanked the participants for their contributions and wished them continued success in their endeavors as part of the MCW Global vast network.
Hon. Mayor of Bugesera, Mutabazi Richard, a Guest of Honor at the closing ceremony, encouraged participants to “keep cultivating the solutions you have started to develop during this conference so that more young people in your communities may transition to employment through your contributions.” He added, “Let us harness the power of youth leadership to build a better future for Rwanda, East Africa, and beyond.”
After completing the Conference, its alumni can participate in MCW Global’s alumni-exclusive programs: The Community Leaders in Africa Internship program and the Alumni Ventures Fund program. They will also have the chance to engage with MCW through vision planning workshops, funding opportunities, and the global alumni network.
Please click here to read an overview of the Young Leaders Program and its goals.
