{"id":54970,"date":"2025-07-21T21:47:30","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T21:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/oso-graduates-100-young-women-in-gakenke-eyes-regional-expansion-to-end\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T19:13:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T19:13:09","slug":"oso-graduates-100-young-women-in-gakenke-eyes-regional-expansion-to-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/oso-graduates-100-young-women-in-gakenke-eyes-regional-expansion-to-end\/","title":{"rendered":"OSO graduates 100 young women in Gakenke, eyes regional expansion to end generational poverty"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The ceremony marked the graduation of OSO\u2019s 4th cohort of fashion design students and the 2nd cohort specialising in soap and detergent production. <\/p>\n<p>Most of the beneficiaries are girls and young women from vulnerable backgrounds, including school dropouts, teenage mothers, orphans, and those living with disabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Founded in 2019, OSO offers year-long training that equips participants with hands-on entrepreneurial skills in fashion, agribusiness, and manufacturing. The organisation also provides post-graduation support, including business startup capital and mentorship.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe take them in for a full year, train them, and help them build income-generating projects when they return to their communities,\u201d said Delphine Uwamahoro, OSO\u2019s founder and executive director. \u201cThey become self-reliant, creative, and financially empowered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s graduates bring the total number of OSO alumni to over 400, with 80 percent of previous participants having launched their own ventures. <\/p>\n<p>Each of the new graduates received a Frw 200,000 startup grant, while the top three business plans were awarded an additional Frw 500,000.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative has attracted growing support from development partners, and the latest milestone drew government officials and donors alike. Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde praised the graduates for taking steps toward transforming their lives and communities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese projects are not to be shelved\u2014they must now become reality,\u201d the governor said. \u201cWe expect you to be change agents who will help eradicate poverty and promote inclusive development.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gakenke District Mayor Mukandayisenga Vestine reminded the graduates of government funding opportunities, urging them to apply for youth-targeted financing schemes. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe country has resources. What matters now is your commitment to create jobs and solve problems,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside the graduation, OSO officially opened a new dormitory with capacity for 87 students. Built in collaboration with the U.S.-based GO Campaign, the facility positions OSO to begin hosting learners from across East Africa and operate as a regional boarding school.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur vision is not limited to Rwanda,\u201d said Uwamahoro. \u201cWe want to welcome girls from Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania\u2014because poverty and gender-based violence don\u2019t stop at the border. Neither should opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Key supporters present at the event included representatives from GO Campaign, Segal Family Foundation, Lemonaid ChariTea Foundation, Kvinna Till Kvinna, and World Connect.<\/p>\n<p>OSO\u2019s model targets girls and women aged 13 to 25, especially those from rural areas or facing extreme hardship. As it expands, the organisation hopes to become one of Africa\u2019s leading incubators of female-led entrepreneurship and grassroots job creation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91303 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_46_pm.jpg\" alt=\"The ceremony marked the graduation of OSO\u2019s 4th cohort of fashion design students and the 2nd cohort specialising in soap and detergent production.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91300 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_48_pm.jpg\" alt=\"This year\u2019s graduates bring the total number of OSO alumni to over 400, with 80 percent of previous participants having launched their own ventures. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91294 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_42_pm.jpg\" alt=\"Most of the beneficiaries are girls and young women from vulnerable backgrounds, including school dropouts, teenage mothers, orphans, and those living with disabilities.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91295 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_51_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91302 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_47_pm.jpg\" alt=\"Each of the new graduates received a Frw 200,000 startup grant, while the top three business plans were awarded an additional Frw 500,000.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91305 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_45_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91306 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_44_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91307 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_45_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91308 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_43_pm_2_.jpg\" alt=\"Delphine Uwamahoro, OSO\u2019s founder, said the program trains young women for a year to help them launch income-generating projects and become self-reliant.    \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91298 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_50_pm.jpg\" alt=\"Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde praised the graduates for taking steps toward transforming their lives and communities.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91297 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_50_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"Gakenke District Mayor Mukandayisenga Vestine reminded the graduates of government funding opportunities, urging them to apply for youth-targeted financing schemes. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91296 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_51_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91311 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_42_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91309 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_43_pm_1_.jpg\" alt=\"A traditional dance group entertained guests and graduates during the ceremony, adding a festive atmosphere to the celebration.         \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91310 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/whatsapp_image_2025-07-21_at_3.28_43_pm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One hundred young women on Friday, July 18, 2025, graduated from Our Sisters\u2019 Opportunity (OSO), a vocational training program based in Gakenke District, as the nonprofit sets its sights on becoming a pan-African force in tackling generational poverty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000091313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-54970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"contributors":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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