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The Rwanda Development Board announced a partnership with the MasterCard Foundation under the Hanga Ahazaza initiative at a World Tourism Day event in Kigali on September 27.
The partnership will build links between young job-seekers and employers, work with employers to develop skills training programmes for young employees, and identify skills gaps in Rwanda’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Hanga Ahazaza is a US$50 million initiative from the MasterCard Foundation to increase work opportunities for 30 000 Rwandan youths over five years. Hanga Ahazaza, meaning ‘create the future’, is a consortium of 12 partners from the education, development, and private sectors. Working together, they are supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in the tourism and hospitality sector through increased access to financial services and training, and by connecting them to young people with the skills needed to be successful employees.
Rwanda’s tourism and hospitality sector is a key national priority and is growing at a rapid pace, with ripple growth effects in other sectors, such as agriculture and food processing. However, challenges remain for young job-seekers and entrepreneurs, including gaps in skills development, work placement and experience, and access to financial services.
“Hospitality is an open-door opportunity that provides youth with the skills and goals they need to thrive while at the same time contributing to Rwanda’s economic development,” said Gisele Ikuzwe, a student at Vatel Rwanda. “As youth, we need to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and not only think of becoming job-seekers – you also need to have the mindset and responsibility to create jobs.”
Source: tourismupdate.co.za
