The Kigali Global Shapers (KGS) hub, a community whose vision is to create a platform that engages with the youth to inspire innovation and change, was launched on 30th June this year with its first initiative, Twumve which aimed at empowering Rwandan youth through the spreading of ideas, engaging in dialogue and cross-mentoring with Rwandan leaders.

Twumve is based on the premise of youth listening to role models, and being listened to in return, and can be loosely translated as ‘we hear you, hear us too. 

KGS is part of the Global Shapers Community, an offshoot of the World Economic Forum which is a network of hubs founded and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, their achievements and their drive to make a contribution to their communities.

Speaking at the event, Minister for Youth and ICT Jean Philbert Nsengimana urged the youth to adopt the use of ICT in order to be competitive in the first evolving world that needs technologically literate people. “At this time and age, it has become almost impossible to survive in business without the application of ICT. In one way or the other, we need its application on our day to day business activities which calls for the need to fully embrace it,” the minister said.

 

Mucyo Gilbert, a member of the Shapers Forum who is representing Rwanda at the Google Mapmaker conference in Lagos said at the event that the forum aims at empowering the youth through the spread of ideas and dialogue. “I can say that for the few days we have been in operation here, we feel like we are geared towards the right direction and we are set to achieve our set target,” Mucyo said.

Mucyo also echoed the pace at which the country is embracing ICT, saying that a few years back, it seemed almost impossible to imagine that Rwanda could now be at this level in ICT, with more people applying it. He also thanked the government for its support in developing the country’s ICT through such initiatives as the setup of the KLab.

Another speaker, Colombe, a young and upcoming fashion designer shared on how she is using ICT to reach her customers and promote her business. She said that she has achieved a lot in marketing her business through application of ICT, and the clientele reach has drastically gone up since she started employing ICT.

 

 

 

Rwanda Hope Magazine