Aline Kabanda

Rwanda Country Director, Akilah Institute

One of the reasons Akilah spoke to my heart is because it connects with my own story. I first pursued a career in physiotherapy because I am good in math and science. I also taught for two years, but I did not have the passion for it, and I felt something was missing. I decided to resign and take time to discover what I really wanted to do.

I realized that I had an interest in organizations and how they can grow and perform. I later worked with an organization that helps women form cooperatives to produce traditional handicrafts for export to the U.S. and Europe. As the assistant to the CEO, I had opportunities to manage projects. I taught myself almost everything from scratch, and that is when I decided to go for an MBA with a focus on leadership and organizational development. I then realized that I wanted to work with an organization that impacts other people’s lives. I want to leave behind me a legacy of hope and love and helping people realize their dreams. I connected with Akilah because that is exactly what we are doing here.

We ensure that the ladies coming here are making the right choice for themselves and that our program connects to their dreams for what they want to do with their lives. We want them to realize that they can step up and be whoever they want to be and do whatever they want to do because I believe that this is what will help the country continue to move forward. I was blessed to come from a family that has supported me and pushed me and helped me think in ways that I never learned myself, which is the reason that I am here today. But I know that many of the girls who are coming here do not have that. In my position, I hope to make sure that the girls understand that we support them. I do believe that this is what will make them successful and unique as they go out after graduation.

In Rwanda, everyone has a role to play in building the country, and Akilah contributes to building the nation in so many ways. Rwanda realized that since it does not have many natural resources, the only way forward is to invest in its people. Rwanda believes empowering women is imperative for the country’s development. This is aligned with what Akilah is doing, which is investing in these young women because, ultimately, they are the leaders of tomorrow. We not only build the students’ skills and knowledge, but also their attitudes and mindsets so that they see themselves as the leaders of the future.

We have three programs and each of them connects with Rwanda’s vision and priorities. With Information Systems, Rwanda wants to position itself as the ICT hub in Africa and has all these initiatives and projects to that end. In Entrepreneurship, the country has a young and growing private sector that needs to be strengthened. It needs creative and innovative entrepreneurs to support the private sector, people like our graduates. Hospitality Management was, and still is, the leading sector in Rwanda’s economy — it’s growing fast and has so many needs.

Akilah is an organization that is about really changing people’s lives through education. As Nelson Mandela pointed out, education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Investing in these women, the 355 that we have now, is truly a ripple effect. I believe it will create change in their families, communities, Rwanda, Africa, and the world. Investing in women is the right investment because they will change their families and they will educate their children into responsible citizens who will continue to make change.