RWANDA: Salesian project empowers young women to join traditionally male-dominated fields
Project includes counseling, infrastructure development
RWANDA
(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are challenging gender stereotypes in education in Rwanda. For years, technical and vocational education in the country has steered young women into subjects that did not require physical strength. However, the four-year project “Gender Matters for Green TVET” at Don Bosco Gatenga and Don Bosco Muhazi is creating a pathway for young women to succeed in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as construction, electricity and plumbing.
Although the initial goal was to ensure that at least 30% of students were young women, the results far exceeded expectations. In the 2022-2023 school year, only 60 young women were enrolled at Don Bosco Gatenga, while in 2024-2025 that number rose to 209 out of a total of 533 students.
This growth was supported by the construction of a dormitory for young women that offered safe spaces for self-care, directly increasing the confidence and academic performance of these students.
Two students who completed their studies in electrical engineering received scholarships for advanced education. One of them traveled to Ghana to specialize in solar energy and will return to Rwanda to teach short courses, while the other is currently pursuing university studies in Sweden.
At Don Bosco Muhazi, the project has helped more than 100 students, including single mothers, to engage in agriculture and livestock farming. Graduates have received financial aid and livestock to overcome personal difficulties, while 15 other graduates have already started their own agricultural initiatives.
A Salesian noted, “Recognizing that education requires more than just books, the project has provided counseling for trauma and distress to more than 50 young women and financial assistance to 30. The program is also helping these students connect with job opportunities to ensure that they are able to find and retain long-term employment.”
Around 80% of those enrolled at Don Bosco Muhazi are now involved in entrepreneurship programs and are equipped with tools such as hoes and livestock and trained by financial institutions to manage their business ventures.
The work is thanks to the collaboration of the Austrian Development Cooperation, Jugend Eine Welt and the Salesians of Don Bosco.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Rwanda
UNICEF – Rwanda
