First Lady Jeannette Kagame on Thursday inaugurated the Imbuto Hub in Bugesera District, describing the facility as a place where young people can access skills, mentorship, values education and opportunities to develop their talents.
The hub was established through a partnership between Bugesera District and Imbuto Foundation to provide services aimed at supporting young people and families.
Kagame said the facility was created in response to challenges facing youth and families, emphasizing that young people need more than knowledge to succeed.
“Young people need knowledge, but they also need mentorship, values and a platform for innovation,” Kagame said. “Families also need information and conversations that bring them together so they can raise children well.”
She said Imbuto Hub should not be viewed simply as a physical structure but as a supportive environment that accompanies people through different stages of life, from childhood to adulthood.
“Imbuto Hub is not about walls; it is a home,” Kagame said. “It brings together these services and supports individuals throughout every stage of life.”
Kagame said Bugesera was chosen as the location for the first hub because of the district’s development and its representation of Rwanda’s transformation.
She said the long-term goal is to ensure that every child in Rwanda has access to opportunities regardless of where they are born.
“Our dream is that one day every child, wherever they are born, will no longer feel that opportunities belong only to a few,” she said. “Talent does not choose where someone is born.”
The First Lady encouraged young people to take advantage of available opportunities, saying their success depends on how effectively they use them.
She said the hub will provide training on health and well-being, disease prevention, vocational skills, mentorship and decision-making to help young people build productive futures.
“You will have a platform to showcase your talents and abilities,” Kagame said. “We want you to leave this place believing that you can achieve your goals, that you are capable and that you have an important role in building a brighter future.”
The Bugesera Imbuto Hub is the first in a planned network of similar facilities across Rwanda. Construction is underway for additional hubs in Kicukiro, Muhanga, Rwamagana and Gasabo districts.
The centers are intended to expand access to services that help young people gain skills, strengthen their abilities and contribute to Rwanda’s development.
