International Youth Day: Angelique finds her stride in Rwanda
As we celebrate International Youth Day — a day dedicated to the boundless potential of young people — we turn the spotlight on Angelique, who is building friendships and planning for a brighter future in Rwanda.
BY MEGHAN MCLAUGHLIN
Originally from Rwanda’s Eastern Province, 24-year-old Angelique moved to the Southern Province with her husband, Francois, and their two-year-old daughter, Scovia, in search of new beginnings.
Angelique hoped this new start would open doors for her family. When Angelique was young, her path was filled with challenges. She had to drop out of secondary school due to financial hardships. Without health insurance, she couldn’t access the care she needed when she fell ill.
Despite taking on jobs as a casual laborer, Angelique struggled to make ends meet, and financial independence seemed out of reach. With no steady income or family and friends nearby for support, she felt isolated and increasingly uncertain about her future.
Everything changed when she joined her local youth empowerment club through Mastercard Foundation Accelerating Impact for Young Women in partnership with BRAC (AIM). Here, Angelique learned the value of saving and gained access to financial resources. She now earns around 1,000 Rwandan Francs from casual work and saves 200 Francs each week in her local village savings group.
“I always had to ask my husband for money, even to buy salt,” she recalls. “I didn’t know about savings, but now I save a portion of my earnings,” she says, beaming with pride.
The club also taught Angelique about family planning and preparing for the future, helping her focus on her daughter’s education and better living conditions. The most transformative aspect was the sense of community she found with friends and a mentor who share similar challenges. Now she has a support network of young women.
When I asked Angelique if she wanted to take a photo with a friend from the club, she enthusiastically reached for her mentor and AIM club leader.
With newfound independence and self-esteem, Angelique has big ambitions. She dreams of starting her own business, raising livestock, and ultimately building a home. “Now I have goals and a vision for my future,” she says. “I feel able, like I can.”
Angelique’s participation in her local youth empowerment club has been life-changing. The social interactions and knowledge she has gained have been invaluable. “I love socializing and the savings group activities. Learning to save money makes me proud,” she notes.
Members of Angelique’s AIM club proudly show that empowered women are strong women.
Angelique’s journey is a testament to the incredible potential that lies within young people across the Global South. BRAC’s youth empowerment programs, which combine social and economic empowerment with education, are crucial in helping individuals like Angelique overcome barriers and achieve their dreams. As she looks ahead to the possibility of small loans to start her business, Angelique embodies the spirit of International Youth Day—celebrating the power and promise of youth.
Having completed the first phase of the AIM program — social empowerment — Angelique is now poised to begin the next chapter: economic empowerment. We can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next!
Meghan McLaughlin is Senior Manager, Digital Marketing at BRAC USA.