Karongi, on 9^th November 2022: During the 3^rd Edition TVET Youth Challenge Competition, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Culture in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOIKA) and the Ministry of Education through Rwanda Polytechnic and TVET Higher Learning Institutions, our students with best innovations were awarded cash prizes.

TVET Youth Challenge Competition aims at promoting TVET students’ projects and viable prototypes to a level of producing concrete solutions that generate revenues and address challenges in the community.

Three best innovations among 11 from projects pitching at the College level which took place today are “Solar Powered Automatic Irrigation System” by Denyse Igiraneza, “Increasing of Nutrient in Production of Potato Flour as Health” by Marie Grace Imanishimwe and “Producing Tiles from Waste Plastic” by Gerard Tunezerwe.

Denyse, the first runner up was awarded 1,500,000 FRW; Marie Grace, the second received 1,200,000 FRW while Gerard, the third one was given 1,000,000 FRW. The awarded candidates will represent IPRC Karongi in the competition at National level.

Addressing the participants, the Deputy Principal in charge of Academics and Training, Mr. Leonard Manirambona said, “I would like to commend the Ministry of Youth and Culture for the TVET Youth Challenge Competition initiative which instills among students research and innovation habit based on addressing challenges in the community, which will increase employability rate.” He also thanked innovators for proving they have skills, and thus they only need support.

Ruzindana Rugasaguhunga, Advisor and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Youth and Culture said, “We conduct such competition every year whereby we tour all TVET colleges looking for students with best project ideas that can impact or support society. After this phase, the winners from all colleges will also compete. The first best from them will receive 6,000,000 FRW which is a good capital for a person determined to help the Rwandan Community.” 

In his message Nicolas Mugabe, Product Design Development Specialist at Rwanda Polytechnic recognized competitors efforts in making best projects and said, “If you don’t win today in TVET Youth Challenge, next time you can engage in Youth Connekt, so don’t be discouraged. This is the right time to improve your projects.”

Marie Grace Imanishimwe, a student in Hospitality Management, who won the second award, was surprised once she was called among the winners. She said, “I was very astonished, because I considered my competitors to have great projects.”

She continued explaining her project’s contribution to the Rwandan Community. “My project is mostly important to the Rwandan community in terms of using local products, rather than imitating those of foreigners, and uprooting malnutrition among children as they will eat nutritious food thanks to my potato flour.” She revealed that her project is broad as it will also avail a market for potatoes’ farmers, provide youth with employment opportunity and help hotels owners in preparing their sauces like her career.

After this college’s level phase, all winning contestants from 12 TVET Higher Learning Institutions will attend a 5 days boot camp in order to be equipped with relevant skills to help them improve their projects, enrich their level of business management and align their innovative projects with real challenges in the community.

Contestants in a boot camp will also compete in a national level competition from which four greatest projects will be awarded cash prizes as following:

• 1^st Prize: 6,000,000 FRW
• 2^nd Prize: 5,000,000 FRW
• 3^rd Prize: 4,000,000 FRW
• 4^th Prize: 2,000,000 FRW