A new generation of licensed drivers and motorcycle riders is emerging from Rwanda’s southern highlands, offering fresh hope for youth employment, gender equality and improved transport services in one of the country’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.

Seventy-four young women and men from Nyaruguru District have successfully obtained permanent driving permits after completing intensive road safety and driving training under the Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (SOYEE) programme, an initiative of partners Plan International Rwanda and Dream Village.

JimThe graduates are the first cohort from the SOYEE Hub established in Munini Rusenge Sectors in August 2025, marking a shift from traditional entrepreneurship and agriculture training to market-driven skills that can quickly translate into employment.

The June 27 graduation ceremony celebrated 80 trainees who completed the course and all received provisional driving licences, while 74 later passed the permanent driving examinations, representing a 93 percent success rate.

The programme also demonstrated remarkable progress in promoting gender equality in a profession traditionally dominated by men.

Among the 44 trainees in the vehicle driving category, 34 were women and all of them passed the permanent driving examinations. Overall, the final results were evenly balanced, with 37 women and 37 men obtaining permanent licences.

Officials say the results prove that women are increasingly taking up careers that were once considered exclusively for men while creating new economic opportunities for vulnerable youth, including teen mothers.

Youth employment with market-driven skills:

The decision to introduce driving training was informed by growing demand for licensed drivers and motorcycle taxi operators in rural districts, where youth unemployment remains a challenge despite expanding road infrastructure.

The programme found that many young people struggled to find employment in agriculture due to limited opportunities, while transport services remained insufficient because of a shortage of qualified drivers.

Parents highlighted that in many families, this is the first time one of their family member to be licensed to drive Category B vehicles or ride motorcycles, while also noting that many youth had previously been exploited while trying to obtain driving permits, often travelling long distances and spending money on fraudulent brokers without success.

Trainees’ Parent Representative, Alphonsine Nyiranjishi, whose daughter Ingabire graduated from the programme, said the new training has restored confidence among families.

“This will be no more. many of our children have spent money searching for permits in vain but we are now sure they have the right education, skills and they will succeed with these permits,” Nyiranjishi said.

SOYEE Project Manager Epimaque Utazirubanda said the graduates had endured an eight-month journey, with some travelling repeatedly to Huye and Nyamagabe districts to sit driving examinations.

He noted that some trainees attempted the tests more than 15 times before eventually succeeding through the hub’s structured training.

“With a moto-taxi you cannot fail to have an income and even with the chauffeur jobs it is crucial to look for information on employment opportunities in this District but we will support you along the way,” Utazirubanda said.

One graduate, Mutali, said he personally failed driving examinations 14 times before joining the programme.

He believes the new graduates will help address the shortage of qualified drivers in a district characterised by steep hills and an expanding road network.

“All that is left now is to play our part to pitch banks and investors to acquire motorbikes whose loans are very easy to repay because of the high demand for moto-taxis to ferry passengers,” Mutali said.

Boosting tourism around Kibeho:

Beyond employment, district leaders believe the graduates will improve mobility for residents and visitors travelling to Kibeho, Rwanda’s renowned Catholic pilgrimage site that attracts thousands of local and international tourists annually.

Better transport services are expected to make it easier for pilgrims and tourists to access attractions across Nyaruguru’s mountainous landscape while creating new business opportunities for young drivers.

Graduate Clarisse, a teen mother, said the profession offers an opportunity to earn a living while supporting environmentally friendly transport.

“Transport means in the area are set to improve the transport system in the area which has many tourists. Plan International has agreed to help us acquire electric motorbikes, which means we will charge less, earn more but also protect the touristic environment here,” she said.

Green transport and future jobs:

Plan International Rwanda says the programme is also aligned with Rwanda’s green growth agenda.

Patrice Izerimana, Program Manager for Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship at Plan International Rwanda, said the organization chose driving skills because of the growing demand for professional drivers in rural communities.

“The driving profession is a highly demanded career today and one in which it is hard to be unemployed because there are many employers,” Izerimana said.

He revealed that the organization is working with Dream Village Rwanda to introduce electric motorcycles for graduates.

“We are in discussions aimed at securing electric motorbikes for the graduates. Plan international will provide the guarantee but beneficiaries have to do their part of earning a living from this career,” Izerimana said, noting that this will enable many communities to be sustainable.

Looking ahead, Izerimana said assessments are underway in six districts, including Nyaruguru, to identify additional short-term skills that can rapidly create jobs for rural youth in partnership with Ministry of Youth and Arts (MOYA).

“This assessment is being done in six districts including Nyaruguru and by July we will have a clear picture of what youth jobs to focus on in rural areas,” he said, giving an example of digital skills (phone repairs) and mobile money agencies- which can employ more youth in numbers.

He added that beginning in July 2027, the SOYEE Hub model will be expanded to other districts where Plan International Rwanda operates.

Youth As Agents of Change:

Fiona Niwowegusa, Health Programme Manager at Dream Village Rwanda, described the initiative as an opportunity to create new jobs for young people.

Dream Village Youth Board Chairman Aime Fidele Uwiringiyimana encouraged graduates to continue improving their skills while maintaining professionalism.

“As a fellow youth I would like to ask the graduates to advance their skills but also uphold discipline in the driving career because you cannot succeed or even chauffeur a minister without discipline,” Uwiringiyimana said.

Contributing to district development:

Local leaders say the programme is already contributing to Nyaruguru’s development agenda by promoting youth employment, women’s empowerment and economic inclusion.

The Executive Secretary of Munini Sector praised the rigorous beneficiary selection process and the graduates’ performance.

“This beneficiaries’ performance is extraordinary considering that many people have for years tried to get driving permits in vain,” the official said, noting that this success is because of the government, and parent’s support but also commitment of trainees.

Nyaruguru Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs Assumpta Byukusenge described the graduation as more than a ceremony, saying it directly contributes to the district’s development priorities and annual performance targets.

She particularly welcomed the increasing participation of women in the transport sector.

“This is a good initiative and it is very impressive to see how the girl child is excelling in male-dominated jobs. We are therefore asking that Plan International considers training our youth in other skills because it enables us to attain our performance contracts,” she said, encouraging the graduates to form cooperatives to attract more youths to the program.

She also appealed for the establishment of a driving test centre in Nyaruguru District to reduce the cost and distance young people travel to obtain licences.

“We want this center because we have many youth interested in acquiring driving permits but it is a challenge to travel distances. We advocated for vehicle emissions testing in Huye and why not have a permit testing site here?,” Byukusenge asked.

As Rwanda continues investing in rural infrastructure, programmes such as SOYEE are increasingly demonstrating that equipping young people with practical, market-driven skills can simultaneously address unemployment, advance gender equality, strengthen sustainable transport and unlock the tourism potential of communities such as Kibeho and the wider Nyaruguru District.