The Akilah Institute, the campus for female leaders at Davis College in Rwanda, was honoured at the 2019 WISE Summit in Doha for its groundbreaking work educating women in East Africa.

Akilah was among six recipients of the prize presented by the Qatar Foundation, which promotes successful and innovative projects addressing global educational challenges. As the only women’s college in Rwanda, Akilah’s transformational education empowers young women from low-income communities with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to launch their careers in the fastest growing sectors of East Africa. The core pillars of Akilah’s model — 21st century skills, personalized learning, innovation, ethical leadership, and sustainability — combined with a customized, data-driven learning model equips female students with the practical experience, knowledge, and expertise to tackle complex global problems.

Dr. Ameena Hussain, Director of Programs and Content from WISE said, “When women are empowered with education, the whole community, and society at large stand to benefit. WISE is proud to recognize and celebrate the work that the Akilah Institute does in Rwanda, and we hope that it inspires people to try to innovate new education models in their community.”

Over the past decade, Akilah has implemented a number of critical innovations including a technology platform to match graduates with careers, a blended model that leverages adaptive learning tools and launched a professional development institute to train faculty in competency-based education, and accredited diplomas in business, entrepreneurship, hospitality & tourism management, and information systems. As a female-only campus, Akilah has created an empowering and nurturing culture that celebrates creativity, entrepreneurship, and servant leadership.

88% of Akilah graduates launch their careers within six months of graduation, and earn 12x the national median income. 80% of these young women are the first in their family to attend higher education, and more than 50% come from rural areas. To date, Akilah’s work has impacted the lives of more than 3,000 individuals in Rwanda.

Akilah Institute CEO & Co-Founder Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes accepting the WISE Award in Doha on November 20th, 2019.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this award and to join this prestigious community, and grateful to WISE for recognizing and supporting the pioneering work Akilah is doing to transform higher education. We know that education, especially for girls, is a proven path to a better quality of life, not only for the girls themselves but for their families, communities, and nations,” said CEO and co-founder of Davis College, Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes.

Akilah Institute CEO & Co-Founder Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes with Rwanda Ambassador to the State of Qatar François Nkulikiyimfura

Learn more about the WISE Award and Akilah’s fellow winners here.