In the heart of rural Makamba, Burundi, lived a bright young woman named Akeza. Her dreams were as big as the sky, but opportunities were few. Her parents, small-scale farmers, struggled to put her through secondary school. Though she excelled in class, the cost of university seemed like an unreachable goal.
But everything changed when Akeza was introduced to a youth empowerment program run by our organization.
We first met her during one of our community education outreach programs, where we provided career guidance and mentorship to high school students. Impressed by her curiosity and determination, we enrolled her in our mentorship and training initiative. There, she was paired with a mentor, Jane, a successful entrepreneur who once faced similar challenges growing up in Gitega.
Through regular workshops, Akeza learned essential entrepreneurship skills: how to write a business plan, manage finances, and market her ideas. Alongside other youth, she gained confidence through public speaking sessions, digital literacy training, and peer support groups.
Recognizing her potential, we offered Akeza a small grant through our Youth Microfinance Fund, designed to support youth-led startups. With that, she started a small agri-business processing and packaging organic vegetables for sale in local markets. Within a year, she was not only making profits but also employing two other youths in her village.
Today, Akeza is a mentor herself, returning regularly to train and inspire the next generation of change-makers. Her story is just one of many.
Through education, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and access to financial resources, we are building a generation of self-reliant, empowered youth who are creating solutions and transforming their communities one idea at a time.