CEFOTRAR is a training center for Rwandan workers, located in Kimisagara Sector, Nyarugenge District, Kigali City. It is a partner to We Social Movements (WSM), financed by Belgium for their current 2022-2026 programme in Rwanda. Solidarjob (Solidarity and Jobs) is located in Muhoza Sector, Musanze District, Northern Province and is a partner to Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI). The two centers are member organizations of INSP!R Zamuka, a national network striving for decent work and social protection for everyone in Rwanda.

The two centers train young girls and boys without degree through short professional courses that take between 6 and 12 months. CEFOTRAR trains youth in masonry, welding, woodwork, sewing, shoemaking, hairdressing and beauty care. Solidarjob is present in culinary art and food, bakery, hotel servicing and modern agriculture and husbandry.

CEFOTRAR and Solidarjob offer additional courses in entrepreneurship, marketing, labour law standards and disciplinary and moral principles that lead to success in life. After the professional training at the centers, industrial attachments are necessary in order for the youth to acquire practical skills of what they already learned. The youth are also accompanied and followed up by the trainers to help them make the difficult step to enter the labour market. Cooperatives or associations appear the most affordable way to become stronger and go far.

By now, CEFOTRAR has initiated 35 successful partnerships with different companies for industrial attachments. In many cases this leads to definitive employment by the partner companies. Industrial attachment is a precondition to obtain a certificate officially recognized by the Government. However, industrial attachments are not always easy to find. Some companies don’t accept trainees, others ask for insurance for all risks that can occur during an industrial attachment. Some efforts have to be made. CEFOTRAR and Solidarjob have taken a lot of initiatives to improve gender balance among the youth they train as far as different professions are concerned; and many successes have been achieved.

Edited by Séraphin Gasore, Executive Secretary of INSP!R-Zamuka