RUSAGARA MUVUNANKIKO Valens
First Lady Jeannette Kagame has officially inaugurated Imbuto Hub in Bugesera District, a modern youth development centre designed to provide young people with skills, opportunities, and a supportive environment to prepare for the future.
The facility, inaugurated at the national level, is expected to serve as a platform where young people can access vocational training, develop talents, participate in sports, and engage in activities that promote personal growth and community development.
Imbuto Hub brings together various facilities, including vocational training spaces, sports grounds, a library, a Kinyarwanda traditional dance area, fitness facilities, and an early childhood development centre. The hub also provides training opportunities in areas such as tailoring, hairdressing, beauty services, and other practical skills aimed at improving livelihoods.
The centre will also support youth development through activities including karate, football, basketball, handball, and other sports disciplines. It also contains spaces dedicated to reproductive health education, counselling, and programmes focused on social wellbeing.
Although the facility mainly targets young people, it also provides a space for elderly citizens who can visit in the evening for physical exercises, social interaction, and community engagement. The initiative is expected to help older people maintain active lifestyles while reducing loneliness and isolation.
The inauguration of Imbuto Hub comes as Imbuto Foundation celebrates 25 years since its establishment. The organisation has played a significant role in supporting education, youth empowerment, and creating opportunities for Rwandans.
Bugesera Imbuto Hub is part of a wider programme to establish similar centres across Rwanda. Another hub is already operational in Kimisagara, Nyarugenge District, while more facilities are expected to be opened in Rwamagana, Muhanga, Kicukiro, and eventually across all districts of the country.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, First Lady Jeannette Kagame, who is also the Chairperson of Imbuto Foundation, appreciated partners who contributed to the construction of Imbuto Hub Bugesera, describing it as a facility built to support families, development, and social wellbeing.
“See this hub as a reflection of your strength, your humanity, and your commitment. When we look at these buildings, these programmes, and the happiness on the faces of children and young people, we see the results of your partnership. What you are doing will never be in vain.”
First Lady Jeannette Kagame said the establishment of Imbuto Hubs coincides with the period when Rwanda celebrates the 32nd anniversary of Liberation because building capable citizens is part of the country’s continued transformation journey.
“Liberation is not a single day; it is a journey for everyone, every day, to build a capable citizen who has confidence in themselves and who plays a role in the development of their family and the country.”
She emphasized that every transformation begins with empowering individuals, saying that strong families and societies are built from the foundation of empowered citizens.
“That is the philosophy that guides us at Imbuto Foundation. We believe that every person is a seed; when we provide them with the essentials — education, values, and opportunities — they can grow well and transform their family and the country.”
Reflecting on Imbuto Foundation’s 25-year journey, First Lady Jeannette Kagame said the organisation has spent the past years planting seeds of opportunities, knowledge, and hope, many of which have already produced results.
“Today, we are not here only to inaugurate a building; we are here to plant another seed. A seed for a new chapter that will bring opportunities closer to citizens, provide a platform for young people’s talents, and continue building a safe and capable Rwandan society.”
She noted that throughout the 25 years, Imbuto Foundation has supported many young men and women to access education, become self-reliant, support their families, and contribute to national development.
“When I remember where we started, I remember people more than anything else. I remember how we used to meet and talk, and how being a girl was a source of pride, and that she deserved to study, succeed, and complete her education.”
First Lady Jeannette Kagame called on all Rwandans to contribute to building a safe and inclusive society, stressing that national development requires collective responsibility.
“That is why the remaining contribution belongs to all of us. We must expand our mindset, make the most of the opportunities we have, cultivate and nurture the seeds that will grow the Rwanda we want: a Rwanda that belongs to all of us, that excludes no one, and that continues to progress. We are the ones who must make it the paradise we all dream of. Because everyone has a role to play.”
Imbuto Hub Bugesera was constructed through a partnership between Bugesera District and Imbuto Foundation. The facility is expected to become an important centre for youth empowerment, talent development, skills training, and strengthening social connections among different generations.
Through its wide range of programmes, the hub aims to equip young people with practical skills while creating opportunities for learning, creativity, and interaction that contribute to building a more capable and inclusive Rwandan society.
