Sangira is a Swiss association founded in 2021 with the aim of providing marginalised young people from the rural area of Nyamasheke, Rwanda, with market-relevant vocational training as well as internship placements in the hospitality sector. Sangira partners with Careers Building Consultants Ltd (CBC)/Africa, an hospitality training provider in Rwanda, which provides capacity building in the hospitality sector as well as a large industry network for graduate placements upon completion of the program.

Nyamasheke district in Rwanda faces many challenges, including the highest poverty rate in the country and a high teenage pregnancy rate, which is linked to a lack of training and employment opportunities for young people in the area. With the aim of improving the lives of young women and men from Nyamasheke, including those with disabilities, Sangira has opened a specialised vocational education and training (VET) school, with 136 highly motivated students starting classes in September 2023. Sangira provides comprehensive support through classroom teaching, practical training and internship in the hospitality industry. This approach is supported by research which suggests that well-designed and market-relevant training programmes can lead to positive outcomes such as higher earnings and increased employment opportunities. The main objective is that, upon completion of the program, students are employed in quality jobs and are able to earn a decent income that will contribute to improving their livelihoods.

The Sangira program aligns with Rwanda’s national strategy, Vision 2050, which emphasizes the growth potential of tourism and service sector, with Nyamasheke district aiming to become a hub for trade, tourism and agricultural processing. The aim is to create a significant number of decent and productive jobs each year to support economic development. By focusing on tourism, the sector can become more competitive and attract skilled professionals. Sangira contributes to it by promoting vocational training for young adults in Nyamasheke, by enhancing their knowledge of entrepreneurship and equipping them with theoretical and practical skills in the hospitality sector, the program aims to empower students to start their own businesses within the district, thereby contributing to local economic growth.

The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF) supported Sangira’s activities in Nyamasheke district with a three-year program. The Hospitality Vocational Training School is a nine-month program specifically designed for individuals with limited academic background and minimal experience in the hospitality industry, over 50% are young women. The curriculum is delivered over a six-month period through daily classes, providing essential hospitality skills. The training includes theoretical and practical classes held in a rented school complex in Kagano and in the school restaurant. Students also undertake a three-month full-time internship in hotels and restaurants throughout Rwanda to apply and develop their skills. The program emphasises the development of professional and soft skills, including public speaking, teamwork and conflict resolution.

On 31st January 2023, Sangira inaugurated a school restaurant in Kagano (Nyamasheke), run by the students of the programme and one hired chef. Sangira also plans to create a takeaway bakery and coffee shop at the bus stop in Kagano. Furthermore, Sangira envision starting a gardening and vegetable growing school and a carpentry school to leverage the lack of furniture providers in Nyamasheke, a region abundant with wood.