Continuing our series of articles from our Annual Report 2024/25, we outline here our work on our Youth Economic Empowerment Project (YEEP).

The Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (YEEP) is a partnership between SURF and GAERG (National Survivor’s Association of Graduate Students) to deliver entrepreneurship, work readiness and vocational training, and access to finance and learning resources, to empower vulnerable youth – specifically young survivors which dropped out of school and marginalised second-generation survivors – and enable them to develop secure livelihoods and sustainable incomes. In so doing, this will alleviate their poverty and improve their well-being and enable them to better independently support themselves and their households.

YEEP launched in July 2021 and concluded in June 2024, made possible through support from Clifford Chance. The key objective is to empower vulnerable young people in Rwanda through a programme of entrepreneurship, work readiness and vocational training, and access to finance, and in so doing to alleviate their poverty and improve their well-being. In so doing, the project will specifically address Target 2 of Sustainable Development Goal 1: “By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of all men, women and children of all ages living in poverty,” and Target 4 of Global Goal 3: “promote mental health and well-being”.

We understand that young people have different ambitions for their professional life. Some wish to find training and capital to start a business, whilst others would prefer to find steady employment either through a job or a trade. YEEP seeks to help principally vulnerable and marginalised young people to navigate their pathway into work through:

• Entrepreneurship training (pathway into self-employment)
• Work readiness training (pathway into employment)
• Internship training programme (pathway into employment)
• Vocational training (pathway into employment or self-employment)

The project initially focused on three regions of Rwanda. In its first year, YEEP was implemented in the three districts of Kigali City: Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge. In the second year, the project expanded to the Eastern Province, targeting districts with a significant number of beneficiaries, including Kayonza, Rwamagana, and Bugesera. In its third year, YEEP focused on the Southern Province, specifically in the districts of Huye, Nyanza, Kamonyi, and Muhanga.

The partnership between Clifford Chance and Survivors Fund (SURF) has enabled GAERG to reach more vulnerable genocide survivors across various districts. This collaboration has provided survivors with access to loans through a Loan Guarantee Fund scheme established between Survivors Fund (SURF) and Goshen Finance. Entrepreneurship training has empowered young genocide survivors to start small income-generating activities, thereby supporting their families. This was achieved through vocational training, internships, and work readiness programs.

As a result, the project achieved the following by its conclusion:

• At least 6,224 young genocide survivors (3,742 females and 2,482 males) benefited from different various components of the programme over the three years of implementation.
• 3,313 young survivors (1,784 females and 1,529 males) received entrepreneurship training. Following the training, beneficiaries formed 71 savings groups in their communities and began saving before applying for loans from Goshen Finance. Consequently, 1,684 participants saved 66,492,360 Rwf (41,558 GBP).
• YEEP enabled young genocide survivors to increase their income through job creation, with 951 participants starting small businesses using loans from both Goshen Finance and their own savings. The total loans disbursed amounted to 128,423,167 Rwf (80,264 GBP).
• An internship program, designed at the beginning of the project, saw 1,183 young people participate to gain new skills across various domains.
• Out of 799 loan applications submitted to Goshen for evaluation and disbursement, 320 businesses were awarded loans. Loan officers and project staff continue to assist more young people in accessing additional loans.
• Over the past three years, the GAERG website, renovated and updated with new content, attracted 137,350 visits from people seeking information related to jobs and soft skills.
• 315 young survivors enrolled in vocational training over three years across various fields, including hairdressing, car driving, automobile mechanics, cooking, baking, filmmaking, and tailoring. Training course duration ranged from 3 to 12 months, with the project covering school fees and scholastic materials to prevent dropouts. All 315 completed their studies. At least 251 young survivors secured jobs or started small businesses after completing their vocational training, and those who have not yet started businesses have been linked with Goshen Finance to finance their business ideas.
• The project trained 1,413 young survivors in the work readiness program, helping them to write convincing CVs and application letters. This addressed a common issue among genocide survivors, who often struggled with application writing. As a result, 224 young survivors secured internships in both private and public institutions, and 158 of them obtained employment, enabling them to financially support their families. A further 98 participants secured employment through jobs created from the small businesses set up by project participants.

Young survivors have testified that the project has significantly improved their lives. Those with families have managed to send their children to school, pay for scholastic materials, and meet their basic needs. One lesson learned is that providing entrepreneurship training before loan applications offers a more comprehensive understanding of the purpose of loans and how to use them effectively for planned businesses.

In the past three years, the project has restored hope for the future in many young survivors who were in despair 30 years after the genocide. Achieving financial stability and self-sufficiency has fostered hope among the most vulnerable survivors in the communities reached by the project. By the end of the project, these young survivors are now able to plan for the future and recognise other opportunities available to them across the country.

Innocent *

Innocent is one of the young survivors who participated in the entrepreneurship training and received a loan from Goshen Finance to start a small business generating income.

“I am 33 years old, married with one child. I attended school up to university and hold a bachelor’s degree in rural development. After my graduation, I thought I would easily find a job, but things turned in a different direction. Life became so complicated that I considered leaving home to avoid seeing my family go to bed without eating. I got a part-time job at a salon, but my salary couldn’t even cover household expenses.

“I got the chance to join YEEP and attended entrepreneurship training for three months. Afterward, I applied for a loan from Goshen Finance and secured 500,000 Rwf (313 GBP) to start my own business. Having worked in a salon for a long time, I had the experience of how salons operate and what to do to make good money. I started my own salon, and now my monthly income is 300,000 Rwf (188 GBP) after all expenses.”

Sophia *

Sophia is a 31-year-old genocide survivor residing in the Kicukiro sector of Kicukiro District. She is married with one child and graduated from university with a degree in finance in 2021. Before joining YEEP, Sophia faced unemployment, a common issue among young survivors, and struggled with social issues such as food insecurity and the cost of renting a house and meeting basic needs. Upon joining YEEP, she received support to enrol in vocational training (TVET), where she acquired skills in pastry making. These skills have enabled her to secure employment in her newfound field.

Currently, Sophia works at AKARYOSHYE Coffee Shop, earning 80,000 Rwf (£50) monthly. This income allows her to fulfil her duties and contribute to her family’s welfare. She is now able to pay for food, housing, and school materials for her child. Looking ahead, Sophia plans to start her own pastry-making business, using the skills and experience she is gaining to ensure its success.

“I am very happy today. Now I can start thinking about my future after completing my vocational training. I suffered a lot due to unemployment. After graduating, I expected to have a well-paid job and plan for my life, but things went in the wrong direction. After two years of being jobless, I got the chance to join YEEP and decided to go back to school to learn pastry making, which I love. Now, I am one of those who have completed the training and now have secured a job. My plan is to acquire expertise over the next three years while saving some money, then to start my own business. Today, I no longer need to ask anyone for money to meet my basic needs since I am paid monthly. I thank SURF and GAERG for bringing this project to support young genocide survivors in finding life again.”

The programme is further illustrated through this short film…