While many young Rwandans struggle to find work—often waiting on government jobs and citing lack of capital as the main obstacle to entrepreneurship—Cyubahiro Paterne chose a different path. Just two months after graduating, he took a leap of faith and launched his own construction company. Today, he has not only broken free from unemployment but has also created jobs for over 100 people.
In just three years, Cyubahiro’s company has paid out more than 700 million Rwandan francs in wages—a remarkable achievement for someone still in his early twenties.
Cyubahiro trained as a construction technician at IPRC Huye, where he completed his advanced diploma in 2022. During his final year, he interned with a construction company and impressed his supervisors so much that they offered him a job. But Cyubahiro had already set his sights on a bigger dream—being his own boss. He turned down the offer and took a bold step into entrepreneurship.
Starting from scratch, Cyubahiro founded Falcon Veracity Group with almost nothing to his name. He borrowed a Positivo laptop from a friend and used it to design building plans, survey land, offer construction consultations, and even manage complete building projects—services that still form the backbone of his business.
His very first project was designing a school building, which earned him 300,000 Rwandan francs. That small success fueled his ambition. Today, he handles projects worth billions of francs.
“I now have three full-time employees in my office, each earning at least 300,000 Rwf per month,” Cyubahiro explains. “And when you look at all the different roles I’ve hired for over time, I’ve employed more than 100 people and paid out over 700 million Rwandan francs.”
Cyubahiro has supervised the construction of more than 10 buildings across Rwanda, in districts like Kigali, Huye, Musanze, and Rubavu. He has also provided internships to around 50 students, helping to build the next generation of skilled professionals.
“What gave me the confidence to start was knowing that I had enough practical knowledge from school, and seeing that it was actually useful in real-world settings,” he says. “That gave me the courage to try, even though it was hard.”
Being a young entrepreneur in the construction industry hasn’t been easy. “It’s tough to convince someone to trust you with a project worth over 100 million Rwf,” he admits. “But it’s possible—you start small, prove yourself, and grow. I began with sketches, and now I’m trusted to build multi-storey buildings.”
One of his most ambitious projects yet is the development of a modern housing estate in Mbazi, Huye. Cyubahiro wants the area to catch up with contemporary living standards. The master plan is almost complete, and he’s preparing to present it to investors and local authorities. Each house in the estate is expected to sell for around 35 million Rwandan francs.
Cyubahiro’s story is one of courage, creativity, and commitment. By daring to believe in himself and starting with the little he had, he’s not only transformed his own life—but created opportunities for many others, too.
