Young people form a vital component of every country’s productive workforce. In Rwanda, youth between the ages of 17 and 35 account for approximately 60 percent of the population. Therefore, the country’s success depends directly on the achievements of its young people who must act as leaders in society, education, and business. Still, the full potential of youth in Rwanda is yet to be realized.
In this Feature Service article, Umutoni Rosie, winner of the 3rd place in the ‘Entrepreneurship and Leadership’ category in CIPE’s 2007 International Youth Essay Competition, explores the ways in which Rwanda’s youth can play a more active role in their country’s development. Rwandan Government must address the shortcomings in infrastructure, human resources, and institutional capacity that prevent youth from assuming entrepreneurial and leadership positions in the society. In turn, young people must strive to improve their skills, work habits, and attitudes in order to become the agents of change their country needs.
Above all, young people should be given a chance to help formulate policy answers to the problems that Rwanda faces. Rosie explains, “Youth, as future leaders, can become agents of community improvement by becoming involved in identifying community needs and opportunities. (…) A new wealth of ideas and information generated by youth would then result in relevant and demand-driven policies, especially on entrepreneurship and leadership.” Only then can the damaging legacy of the 1994 violence be overcome and Rwanda can achieve its true potential.
Article at a Glance
- The future economic development of post-genocide Rwanda depends on its youth.
- Rwandan youth are hampered by a lack of skills and training, barriers to entrepreneurship, and the damaging legacy of the 1994 genocide.
- With educational reform, incentives for entrepreneurship, and youth involvement in policymaking, Rwanda can overcome horrors of the past and move forward.
Published Date: January 07, 2009