23/04/2026
What happens when young people are given the tools, trust, and opportunity to act? A story from my experience in Rwanda.
During my exchange volunteering with CorpsAfrica in Rwanda, I worked with a group of 73 youths in Dutare, Huye District.
The main challenge was youth unemployment caused by limited income-generating opportunities.
Together, we established a tree nursery and piggery project to create both environmental and economic impact.
We developed a 40,000 seedling nursery with avocado, mangoes, passion fruit, tree tomatoes, and eucalyptus. The avocado and mango seedlings were grafted to improve quality.
Each youth also built a pig pen and received a piglet to raise at home—helping them diversify income while supporting the nursery with manure.
Today, I am truly encouraged by the impact even after leaving the community.
🔸The youth have sold most of the seedlings, generating over 3,500,000 Rwandan Francs, and they are reinvesting the income to expand the project.
🔸Each member also planted 10 fruit trees at home as a long-term investment. Every participant now has a healthy pig growing at home.
🔸Beyond income, they have built strong skills in nursery management, including grafting, and developed a strong culture of weekly savings.
What makes me happiest is seeing the transformation, young people who were once idle are now actively building their own livelihoods.
The journey was not easy, Language barrier and adapting to a new culture tested my adaptability. But it was all worth it.
Today, I remain connected with the youth, local leaders, and the CorpsAfrica team. What we built is more than a project—it became a family.
I am deeply grateful to CorpsAfrica for the opportunity to serve.
