First Lady Jeannette Kagame on Friday inaugurated the Imbuto Hub in Bugesera District, marking the launch of a community centre designed to expand access to skills training, health services and innovation opportunities for young people and families.
The facility, located in Nyamata Sector and established by Imbuto Foundation, has been operating for the past three months. It offers free vocational training in tailoring, hairdressing, information technology and other employable skills to help young people build careers and create their own jobs.
Speaking at the inauguration, Jeannette Kagame, the Founder and Chairperson of Imbuto Foundation, described the hub as the latest milestone in the foundation’s 25-year mission of investing in people and creating opportunities for communities.
“For the past 25 years, we have been planting seeds of knowledge, opportunity and hope. Today, we are planting another seed that will bring opportunities closer to communities, provide a platform for young people to develop their talents and continue building strong and resilient Rwandan families,” she said.
She said the hubs were created in response to the evolving needs of children, youth and parents by bringing education, health, mentorship and innovation services together in one place.
“An Imbuto Hub is more than a building. It is a home that supports people through every stage of life—from childhood and youth to parenthood,” she said.
Imbuto Foundation Director General Shami Elodie said the hubs are intended to serve entire communities by providing spaces for learning, recreation, digital literacy and family engagement.
She stressed that the success of the initiative will depend on community ownership, urging residents to actively use the facilities to strengthen families and improve livelihoods.
The Bugesera hub houses vocational training workshops, health consultation rooms, sports facilities and community spaces. Since it began operating, 117 young people have enrolled in vocational and technical training programmes, while the health unit has provided services to 875 people, including reproductive health counselling, mental health support and disease screening.
The centre also includes football, basketball, volleyball and karate facilities, alongside dedicated spaces where parents can meet, exchange experiences and participate in community activities. Around 200 children visit the hub every day, while more than 1,400 people are benefiting from its programmes on a regular basis.
All vocational training offered at the centre is free of charge and runs for six months.
The Imbuto Hub initiative was conceived by Jeannette Kagame and forms part of Imbuto Foundation’s plan to establish similar centres in all 30 districts of Rwanda. Besides Bugesera, another hub has been completed in Rwamagana, while construction is underway in Kicukiro, Muhanga and Gasabo districts.
