Over the recent years, Rwanda continues to face rising unemployment rates, especially among the young population;which stood at 26.5 percent in 2021 for the young persons between 16 and 30 years old. Official data reveal an increasing pattern of youth unemployment in terms of education attained from 22.2 percent for young people with no educational attainment to 30.3 percent for youth with secondary education and 35.3 percent among university graduates.

The consequences of youth unemployment and poverty in Rwanda can be seen in escalating incidents of crime and violence, drug and alcohol abuse and engagement of young people in illegal activities and risky jobs. Agriculture is the main economic activity in the country with 70% of the population engaged in the sector, and around 72% of the working population employed in agriculture.

This indicates a need for renewed approaches in empowering the working population; especially the youth, with regard to entrepreneurship, vocational and technical skills to make them self-employed in other income generating opportunities. Through our Business Modeling Facilitation Approach (BMFA), Blessed to Bless implements a 12-month partnership with associations of high school and university graduates who are yet to be employed; and builds their capacities in terms of leadership, entrepreneurship, goal setting, business planning and management; supports establishment of a Savings and Loans Fund (SLF), through which members of the associations obtain small loans to initiate personal Income Generating Activities (IGAs), as well as providing small grants for the partner associations to initiate businesses, which are chosen, planned, managed and owned by their members.

With funds from Taraja Resource Network, Inc, in May 2023, Blessed to Bless partnered with TUZAMURANE Association, comprising 28 young unemployed youth (6 males and 22 females) in Gahunga Sector, Burera District. After 5 months of the partnership, members of the association had obtained different training sessions of the BMFA program, initiated a Savings and Loans Fund, planned and implemented a “Pigs Rearing and Selling” Business, with 28 pigs purchased. In October, 2023, the association organized an event to launch its business and to celebrate other successes the members have achieved.

Among the celebrated achievements, include 17 income generating activities: the association’s SLF had provided about 600USD as loans to 17 members who now run different individual projects, such as Shop Keeping, Crop Business, Irish potato Growing, Livestock Rearing, Tailoring, Grocery Business and Restaurant.

Joseph Niyomukiza (25),
a shopkeeper and member of Tuzamurane Association.


“From Blessed to Bless, I learned how to identify different customers for my business and how to build a good relationship with them in order to keep them. This has increased customers for my shop, which also increased my monthly revenues.”

Asifiwe MANISHIMWE (21) claimed:
“When Blessed to Bless trained us about entrepreneurship; I learnt that you don’t have to start big to be a good entrepreneur. This made me feel confident and decided to get a small loan from our association, which I used to start fruit business. My goal is to open a bigger greengrocer in five years”.