Promoting the economy and employment in Rwanda’s light manufacturing sector

Context

Unemployment remains one of Rwanda’s most pressing challenges, despite its strong economic growth. Many people earn low wages, and the number of young people entering the employment market is rising each year. However, they often lack sufficient vocational training. The local businesses, most of which are only small, offer limited job opportunities.

Although refugees in Rwanda have the right to work, they are rarely able to put this into practice. In refugee camps and surrounding communities, there is a lack of career counselling and job placement services, as well as business development services for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Objective

MSMEs in Rwanda’s light manufacturing sector are growing based on principles of inclusiveness, productivity and environmental sustainability, and are creating new jobs.

Approach

The project promotes economic policy and private sector skills that enable an inclusive, gender-sensitive, digital and green economy with good living and working conditions, especially for women and refugees. To this end, it works with the consulting firms ICON, Deutsche Forstservice GmbH, GOPA and GFA.

The project

• helps decision-makers develop standards and norms.
• advises vocational education institutions on vocational training and further education courses.
• integrates digital and green approaches in vocational education.
• supports companies with the development of new products and production processes.
• promotes the economic participation of women by raising awareness among companies and supporting women-led companies with business development activities.
• promotes the economic inclusion of refugees and host communities with co-funding from the European Union (EU). This is achieved through psychosocial support and legal advice, as well as improved services for starting and growing a business or finding work.

Last update: April 2025