Rwanda Women Leadership
Institute: Making Your Challenges a Catalyst for Transformation
By Annette Mukiga
Over
the years that she struggled with her experience, Lydia found inspiration to
regain her confidence and self-worth by having successful women role models
such as Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, the late Minister Aloisea Inyumba, Joyce
Meyer and Oprah Winfrey. Their life stories and achievements motivated Lydia to
use the negative experiences from her childhood to rebuild her strength and
encourage other women and girls to do the same.
She
developed an interest in building self-esteem for women and girls through
restoring hope, dreams and fighting against sexual and gender based violence
(SGBV). Lydia’s passion for women and girls issues encouraged her to look for
opportunities that empowered her and other women in various ways.
Lydia
describes the Rwanda Women Leadership Institute (RWLI) as one such opportunity
that has empowered her to be the woman she is today. As a woman who once dreamt
of becoming a leader, she commends the program for reigniting her dream through
its training in leadership skills.
One
of her most important lessons from the program is from an African proverb that
was shared during the training; “if you
want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together.” According to Lydia, the proverb, reinforces “the importance of working together and supporting
one another as women in pursuing our dreams,” and the capacity women have
to be leaders that can contribute to meaningful change and development in
society. She also learnt the importance of self-love, care, protection/safety of
women and girls in any environment.
As
a RWLI alumni, Lydia has used both personal and professional platforms to share
information on women’s key role in decision making, transformational leadership
and SGBV. She hopes that in sharing with other women and girls, she can help
them protect themselves and address issues of abuse as well as motivate them to
be agents of change in their respective communities. Lydia describes RWLI as a
programme that has given her the right tools to achieve her dreams; “I am now dreaming to be a woman of
integrity, a role model, a source of health and wealth in my country and
worldwide.”
RWLI
represents one of the projects implemented by Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN) in
collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion to empower
Rwandan women from all walks of life. The institute’s objectives compliment
various national and global campaigns that promote women’s rights and gender
parity; such as the Rwanda’s national theme for International Women’s Day; “Preserving the Dignity Regained.”
Rwanda
is commended globally for its gender sensitive policies and the highest Parliamentarian
representation of women (64%) in the world. The theme outlines the nation’s
role in building on these achievements in the empowerment of women. RWN is
expanding and contributing to these gains through RWLI and more projects by
using holistic approaches to address issues affecting women and girls in
Rwanda.
In
line with the global movement #BeBoldForChange,
the RWLI program encompasses the importance of women’s active role in
influencing change that contributes to empowerment of women and gender
parity.
RWLI
falls under one of the RWN main program areas; Governance and Leadership. It equips
women with knowledge and tools to be effective leaders and equal contributors
to change and development in their respective sectors and communities. RWLI
continues to empower and inspire more women like Lydia to “make their
challenges a catalyst for positive transformation,” at a personal, community
and national level.
Rwanda
Women's Network (RWN) is one of the four partner institutes of the
African Centers of Excellence (ACE) for Women's Leadership program run
by the Institute of International Education (IIE) , Ethiopia Office.
For more on IIE , ACE or RWN please follow the links below.
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