Akilah Institute for Women
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the problem:
Due to the astonishing progress since the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has become a model of post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation on the African continent. Despite this hopeful progress, Rwanda still faces major obstacles on its path toward development. 57% of Rwandans live below the poverty line. During the genocide, an entire generation of educated teachers, doctors, and professionals was killed and today, 67% of all Rwandans are under twenty-five years of age. Only 1% of Rwandans attend university, and less than 1/3 of higher education students are female.
The existing education system fails to sufficiently address the root causes of poverty or expand the opportunities available to its students. Universities in Rwanda are prohibitively expensive. Currently, there is extraordinary demand placed on the current higher education system. Classes and dormitories at existing institutions often accommodate more than three times the number of students they were designed for. Students are crammed into very small dormitories and there are insufficient toilets and ablution blocks. Female students drop out in large numbers. Academic reports have identified the lack of gender awareness initiatives at universities.
Much of what is taught in traditional schools is overly academic and not relevant to students. The current vocational training programs in Rwanda focus on traditional trade education. Students are trained in courses such as plumbing, tailoring, mechanics, hairdressing, masonry, and carpentry. Skills education is often poorly linked to the needs of the market and fails to address how to maximize income earned from competencies acquired.
Right now, the hospitality industry is the fastest growing sector of the economy and the largest foreign exchange earner. In 2009, the Rwandan government conducted a national skills audit report to assess the available human capital and the needs of each sector of the economy. The current human capacity in the hospitality industry is at less than 30% of what is needed. In the technician cadres, including positions such as supervisors and assistant chefs, the current capacity is less than 4%. International research and consulting companies have identified the lack of training as a barrier to the full expansion of tourism services in the country.
The Rwandan government estimates that at least 5,000 to 6,000 people must be trained per year in the hospitality industry to keep up with the present economic growth and demand. Currently, businesses are hiring people from Uganda and Kenya because Rwanda doesn’t have the education system to train people in these skills. As a result, the Akilah Institute for Women will train women to take key leadership roles in the emerging hospitality sector.
vital stats:
people impacted:
200people involved:
50why it's important:
Women are the key to successful development in Rwanda.
In 1994, over a million people were killed in the most horrific genocide that the world has seen. After the genocide and civil war, more than 70% of the population was female. As a result, Rwandan women carry a substantially disproportionate level of the responsibility for rebuilding a society after the devastation of genocide. These women have led the physical reconstruction of the country, as well as played key roles in the social healing, reconciliation, and increasingly, governance.
We conducted extensive research to better understand the needs of the local business community and the gaps in the education system. We discovered that there exists a huge drop off of women between secondary and higher education. We spoke with over 50 business owners about the difficulties of finding trained and qualified staff.
Research around the world has found that educating young women will lead to higher wages, economic independence, a greater likelihood of women working outside the home, lower birth rates, reductions in maternal and child mortality and overpopulation; and better health and quality of life for more women than the present situation. Educating girls is also instrumental in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Although the importance of educating girls is widely recognized, young girls throughout the region continue to lag behind boys in terms of enrollment rates, completion rates, and performance in school.
the plan of action:
Akilah will train the next generation of female leaders in Rwanda.
The Akilah Institute is a training and leadership institute for a diverse group of bright, motivated young women. Our institute provides students with a unique curriculum that emphasizes leadership development, practical training, and entrepreneurial skills. Just this year the Akilah Institute for Women welcomed 50 determined, ambitious students to be part of our inaugural Foundation Year Program. In 2011, the Akilah Institute will move to its permanent location in Bugasera, Rwanda and begins its 2-year diploma program.
The present vocational training programs in Rwanda focus on traditional trade education. Students are trained in courses such as plumbing, tailoring, mechanics, hairdressing, masonry, and carpentry. Currently, job-training programs that would permit Rwandans to meet the requirements of the careers necessary for the government proposed service-based economy are greatly limited. In contrast, the Akilah curriculum is a direct response to the needs of the business community and is a result of extensive research conducted in the educational, business, and private sectors. Our initial diploma programs will provide young women with the skills and experience to become leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry. The 2-year diploma program will be accredited by the Ministry of Education and the Higher Education Council.
Theoretical training and lectures will be complimented by practical training. Video conferencing with international experts will allow students to gain exposure to the hospitality industry around the world. Akilah students will participate in site visits and excursions to hotels, restaurants, and private businesses around the country to meet with professionals in the industry. Oral presentations and public speaking are emphasized to increase each student’s communication skills. Graduates will return to their communities better prepared to become effective citizens and innovators in the rapidly developing sectors of the Rwandan economy.
A self-sufficient community, Akilah will operate its own social enterprises to generate the needed revenue for operating costs. The increase of tourism and investment in Rwanda will lead to an increase in demand for quality services and products. Creating our own social enterprises on the Akilah campus will allow the Institute to take advantage of this increase in demand, while providing jobs to our students and graduates, and creating another revenue stream to support the institute. This model of development will also promote and support a conscious shift away from dependency on foreign aid and typical models of charity.
All students will participate in the operations of the Bugesera campus by assisting the Akilah staff in preparing and serving food, running the kitchen operation, assisting with basic administration and office tasks, and serving as tour guides for visitors. This experience and interaction will contribute great value to their education experience and create a living and learning environment unlike any other school in Rwanda. The theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom will be supplemented with practical skills that directly translate to the realities of the Rwandan business environment. The most important aspect of the Akilah social enterprises is the training ecolodge and restaurant located on the Akilah site. These facilities will be constructed close to Lake Cyohoha and attract tourists from around the region and host local conferences and events. The agricultural land will provide students with fresh meals, while the produce and other products will be sold in the capital of Kigali.
Akilah builds leaders with self-confidence, empathy, ingenuity, and adaptability. Our women work hard learning who they are, how they came to be that person, and identifying inherent talents to move them forward and help them lead. We create leaders who appreciate themselves and therefore, have the generosity to extend themselves to help others reach their potentials.
Akilah is not only encouraging more women to attend higher education, we are creating a new system of education that is relevant to the needs of the local economy and the development priorities of the government. The jobs and the demand exist, but the education system must prepare students to take advantage of these opportunities. This is providing low-income women with a practical experience and a competitive edge, propelling them to the front of the newly developing sectors of the economy.
Most importantly, the Akilah approach provides a revolutionary framework for school design. This allows for replication of essential features across different geographies and cultures while adapting to local needs. Ultimately this increases its potential impact.
how you can get involved:
1. Act as an Akilah Ambassador: tell others about our mission to empower young women through education!
2. Donate to our scholarship or capital campaign
3. Volunteer at Akilah Institute to work with our women
4. Help connect Akilah with industry experts and hospitality specialists
5. Host a fundraising event
6. Start a book drive or collect school supplies
