When Igitego Igirubuntu Honorine joined the Harambee Work Readiness Program, she already had a strong foundation for her future. She was a university graduate with a degree in Mass Media and Communication, spoke multiple languages and had experience mentoring young women.
But like many young graduates entering the job market, she still faced one important question: How could she turn what she knew into a real career opportunity?
Today, Honorine works as a Marketing Associate at Vuva, a position she secured after completing the Harambee Work Readiness Program. Looking back, she says the experience did more than prepare her for employment; it helped her discover abilities she had not fully recognised in herself.
“It changed how I see myself. I learned that I have leadership skills and that I can build on them,” Honorine says.
Finding her path
Honorine’s journey began long before she joined Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Rwanda.
Growing up as the firstborn in her family, she understood early the importance of building a successful future. In high school, she studied Mathematics, Economics and Geography before later changing direction and enrolling at Mount Kenya University to pursue Mass Media and Communication.
Her decision to study communication was influenced by advice from her uncle, who recognised her ability to communicate and learn languages.
“He told me that if I studied mass media and communication, I would have different options such as marketing, communication and media,” she recalls.
The decision opened the door to a field that matched her interests. Fluent in both French and English, Honorine began looking for opportunities to develop her skills beyond the classroom.
During her third year at university, she joined a gender club focused on empowering students through storytelling, communication and personal development. Through the platform, she volunteered at the African Women in Media Conference, supporting communication activities and writing stories based on conversations with journalists from across Africa.
At the same time, she mentored young women through a USAID-supported programme, providing guidance on reproductive health rights and financial literacy.
Although she found the work meaningful, Honorine knew she wanted an opportunity that would allow her to grow professionally and build a sustainable career.
“Mentoring was fulfilling, but it was not something you do every day as a job. I wanted to grow professionally and economically,” she explains.
The opportunity that changed her mindset
Honorine first heard about Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Rwanda through a friend.
She initially applied without knowing exactly what to expect. That changed when she was contacted for an assessment and later selected to participate in the Harambee Work Readiness Program.
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Rwanda works to address youth unemployment by connecting young people to employment opportunities, equipping them with workplace skills and supporting their transition into employment. Since beginning operations in Rwanda in 2018, the organisation has worked with businesses, government institutions and civil society organisations to create employment pathways for young people.
For Honorine, joining the program was an opportunity to bridge the gap between university education and the realities of the workplace.
“My friend told me that if I went through the Harambee Rwanda programme, it would give me the skills and opportunities needed as a job seeker,” she says.
The six-week program became a turning point in her professional journey. Held five days a week, the training focused on preparing participants for the expectations and realities of the workplace.
One of the first lessons Honorine learned was discipline.
Participants were expected to arrive on time, follow daily schedules and respect every activity planned for the day.
“At Harambee, time management was very important. If someone tells you it is 11:00, then it is 11:00. Being late without a valid reason was considered disrespectful,” she says.
For Honorine, these lessons extended beyond the training room. They changed how she approached responsibilities and prepared her to navigate a professional environment.
Discovering the leader within
While the Harambee Work Readiness Program focused on preparing young people for employment, Honorine says one of its biggest impacts was helping participants recognise strengths they had previously overlooked.
Instead of focusing only on what participants lacked, trainers identified their abilities and helped them strengthen those skills through practical exercises and constructive feedback.
One of Honorine’s biggest challenges was public speaking.
Although she enjoyed writing and storytelling, speaking in front of an audience was something she struggled with.
“I preferred writing more than speaking. Giving speeches was not really my thing,” she says.
The trainers, however, encouraged her to step outside her comfort zone.
Whenever it was her turn to speak, she would initially feel nervous and unsure of herself. With continued encouragement, practice and feedback, her confidence gradually grew.
Eventually, one of her trainers pointed out something Honorine had not fully recognised in herself: leadership potential.
“She told me that I have leadership skills, but I needed to build on them,” Honorine says.
That observation changed the way she viewed herself.
She began to understand that leadership was not simply about holding a title. It was also about having confidence, communicating effectively, taking initiative and being willing to contribute.
From training to the workplace
After completing the Harambee Work Readiness Program in November 2024, Honorine began waiting for opportunities that matched her skills and interests.
A few months later, in early 2025, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Rwanda shared a marketing opportunity with participants in its network. Honorine applied and attended an interview in March. She was successful and secured a position as a Marketing Associate at Vuva.
The opportunity brought a new challenge: she was entering an industry she knew little about and had to learn quickly.
“The first three months were difficult because I did not know much about the industry or many people at the company,” she says.
But the skills she had developed through the Harambee Work Readiness Program helped her adapt.
Communication became one of her greatest strengths. She began asking questions, learning more about the industry and taking initiative whenever she saw an opportunity to contribute.
Her efforts eventually caught the attention of Vuva’s leadership.
During one management meeting, Honorine answered questions about the company’s competitors and the broader industry. Although she was not part of management, her confidence and understanding impressed the CEO, who encouraged her to continue attending management meetings.
“From that day, I started attending those meetings. It helped me gain ideas and understand the business better,” she says.
The experience gave her greater exposure to the organisation’s operations while helping her continue developing professionally.
Creating pathways for young people
Honorine’s journey reflects the broader mission of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Rwanda: helping young people develop the skills, confidence and connections they need to access employment opportunities.
The organisation works with employers to connect young people with jobs while providing training aimed at addressing workplace skills gaps.
Honorine says many young people from her cohort went on to secure employment through opportunities connected to Harambee. She recalls that around 20 participants were able to find jobs through the programme.
For her, however, the biggest transformation was not simply securing a job. It was developing confidence in her own abilities.
Before joining Harambee, Honorine believed that finding employment could depend heavily on knowing the right people. Through the program, she began to see that her skills, preparation and determination could also open doors.
Today, she encourages other young people to invest in opportunities that build practical and professional skills alongside academic qualifications.
“Sometimes you do not know the potential you have until someone helps you see it,” she says.
For Honorine, the Harambee Work Readiness Program became more than a training experience. It marked the transition from being a young graduate searching for direction to becoming a confident professional actively building her career.
That journey is part of a much wider effort by Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Rwanda to support young people transitioning from education into employment.
Since launching its operations in Rwanda in 2018, Harambee has built a network of more than 45.000 young people and supported more than 7.000 job placements through partnerships with employers and other stakeholders.
In the first half of 2026 alone, the organisation supported 221 young people into employment opportunities across Rwanda, including 110 young women. It also welcomed 4.256 additional young people into its network, giving them access to work-readiness training, career support and job opportunities.
Among the new members were 111 refugees and 98 young people with disabilities, reflecting Harambee’s efforts to create inclusive employment pathways for young job seekers from diverse backgrounds.
Today, Honorine is a Marketing Associate at Vuva
For Honorine, Harambee was more than a training programme
