YESI Rwanda

What YESI Rwanda does

YESI Rwanda (legally registered as Youths Empowerment Scholars Initiative Rwanda) is a youth-led, non-profit organization headquartered in Kacyiru, Kigali, Rwanda, with programmatic operations concentrated in Burera District in the Northern Province. Founded in 2022 by a group of Rwandan university students, the organization mobilizes young professionals from diverse academic disciplines to address community challenges aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health), 4 (education), 5 (gender equality), and 13 (climate action). Its program portfolio includes the 5-year Youth Drug and Substance Abuse Reduction (YDSAR) Project supported by WHO Rwanda, the Youth and Health Radio Talks Program (over 70 episodes via a partnership with Radio Imanzi and Never Again Rwanda), the Gold Youth Peer Education Program, the YESI Creative Hub vocational training facility, Brain Health Heroes awareness events co-supported by the International Brain Research Organization and Dana Foundation, and NCD/diabetic ocular outreach in partnership with Partners In Health - Inshuti Mu Buzima and Butaro Hospital. There is no technology product; the organization delivers impact through direct community engagement, district government partnerships, radio broadcasting, and volunteer networks.

The business model is non-commercial. Revenue is generated through donations, grants, and partnership funding rather than product sales or services. Donation channels include MTN Mobile Money (+250 783 804 291) and a Bank of Kigali account (100126903779, account name Youths Empowerment Scholars Initiative Rwanda). No funding rounds, venture capital, or disclosed revenue figures are present. The organization is governed by an Executive Director (Dr. Olivier MUNYEMANA), two Deputy Executive Directors (Programs & Operations and External Affairs), a Director of Administration and Finance, an Advisory Board chaired by Dr. Jean Damascene NDAYAMBAJE, and a Secretary, with approximately 5 employees overall.

Name

YESI Rwanda

Legal name

Youths Empowerment Scholars Initiative Rwanda

Website

https://yesirwanda.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YESI Rwanda is a youth-led non-profit organization in Rwanda, founded in 2022, that delivers community programs in health, education, gender equality, and climate action through district partnerships, radio broadcasting, and volunteer networks, targeting youth and rural communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Child and Youth Services (62411), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Youth empowerment programs
• Community health initiatives
• Vocational skills training
• Substance abuse prevention
• Non-profit NGO services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YESI Rwanda is a youth-led non-profit organization that delivers community development programs in Rwanda focused on health, education, gender equality, and climate action. Its core offerings include the 5-year YDSAR substance abuse reduction project, the YESI Creative Hub vocational training center, the Youth and Health Radio Talks Program produced with Radio Imanzi, the Gold Youth Peer Education Program, the Brain Health Heroes awareness workshop, and NCDs/diabetic ocular outreach initiatives delivered with healthcare partners.

Product overview

YESI Rwanda is a youth-led non-profit organization offering community development programs rather than a technology product platform. Its portfolio includes the YDSAR substance abuse reduction project, Youth and Health Radio Talks Program, Gold Youth Peer Education Program, YESI Creative Hub vocational training, Brain Health Heroes awareness events, and NCDs outreach initiatives. These programs focus on health, education, gender equality, and climate action aligned with SDGs 3, 4, 5, and 13.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Drug And Substance Abuse Reduction (YDSAR) Project A 5-year comprehensive substance abuse reduction program for youth in Burera District, combining football tournaments, peer education, and awareness campaigns to prevent drug and substance abuse, delivered with support from WHO Rwanda.
• YESI Creative Hub Vocational skills training center in Burera District offering tailoring and shoemaking trades to young individuals, with a planned initial cohort of 8 youth and long-term expansion into ICT, hair styling, and a community library.
• Youth and Health Radio Talks Program Radio program co-produced with Radio Imanzi and Never Again Rwanda covering health, education, gender equality, and environment conservation, with over 70 radio talks produced to amplify youth voices in community development.
• Brain Health Heroes Workshop Brain health awareness workshop held at University of Rwanda Huye Campus, organized with support from the International Brain Research Organization and Dana Foundation to empower youth and medical students to lead community wellbeing innovations.
• NCDs and Diabetic Ocular Outreach Non-communicable disease outreach program partnering with Partners In Health - Inshuti Mu Buzima (PIH-IMB) and Butaro Hospital to deliver ophthalmological screening, NCDs advocacy, and patient self-monitoring education in rural areas.
• Gold Youth Peer Education Program Peer education initiative partnering with Gold Youth Development Agency to deliver peer-to-peer learning and mentorship for youth empowerment and development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70 radio talks produced through partnership with Radio Imanzi and Never Again Rwanda
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Brain Research Organization (IBRO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2025IBRO supported the Brain Health Awareness Workshop (Next Brain Health Heroes Event) running from February 15-22, 2025 at University of Rwanda, Huye Campus, providing expertise and resources for brain health education.
• Dana FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2025Dana Foundation co-supported the Brain Health Awareness Workshop, contributing to empowering youth especially medical students to lead innovations for community wellbeing.
• Never Again RwandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Partnership formed in October 2023 with Never Again Rwanda to strengthen the Youth and Health Radio Program through a tripartite agreement, focusing on citizenship and youth empowerment.
• Radio ImanzicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 September 2023Memorandum of understanding signed on September 7, 2023 with Radio Imanzi to co-produce radio programs on health, education, gender equality, and environment conservation. Over 70 radio talks have been produced through this partnership.
• PIH-IMB (Partners In Health - Inshuti Mu Buzima)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Since 2023, YESI Rwanda has partnered with PIH-IMB and Butaro Hospital for Diabetic Ocular Outreaches, providing ophthalmological screening, advocacy for NCDs patients, and education for self-monitoring and management.
• Butaro HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner healthcare facility for diabetic ocular outreach programs, providing clinical support for screening and treatment of diabetes-related complications.
• RBC (Rwanda Broadcasting Corporation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRBC is listed as a partner organization, likely collaborating on health-related initiatives and public health campaigns.
• WHO RwandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO Rwanda supported the launch of the 5-year Youth Drug And Substance Abuse Reduction (YDSAR) Project in Burera District, providing funding and technical guidance for substance abuse reduction initiatives.
• Burera DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government district partner hosting the YESI Creative Hub and YDSAR Project, providing community access and local government support for youth empowerment initiatives.
• Gold Youth Development AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting youth peer education programs and youth empowerment initiatives.
• Gicumbi DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government district partner collaborating on youth development and community programs.
• AfriYAN Rwanda (African Youth and Adolescents Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfriYAN Rwanda collaborates on youth health and development initiatives, particularly around sexual and reproductive health.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AIESEC: Global youth-led platform for leadership development, volunteering, and cross-cultural exchanges. Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the youth-empowerment and volunteerism space serving similar university-age audiences in Africa.
• Restless Development: Global youth-led development agency operating across multiple African and Asian countries. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the youth-led development space with similar programmatic pillars (health, education, livelihoods) but at much larger scale.
• Partners In Health - Inshuti Mu Buzima (PIH-IMB): Major healthcare NGO operating in rural Rwanda (including Burera-adjacent areas) focused on NCDs and health-system strengthening. Comparable as a larger incumbent with whom YESI Rwanda partners on diabetic ocular outreach, sharing overlap on rural health delivery.
• Save the Children Rwanda: Large international NGO operating in Rwanda on child health, education, and protection. Comparable as a broad incumbent in child and youth welfare whose programmatic focus and rural Burera footprint overlap with YESI Rwanda's youth health and education work.

Emerging players

• Solidaridad Network: International civil society organization working on sustainable supply chains, youth livelihoods, and climate action across Africa. Comparable as an adjacent player whose youth livelihood and climate pillars overlap with YESI Rwanda's Creative Hub and climate action work.
• YALI (Young African Leaders Initiative): U.S. government initiative supporting young African leaders in business, civic engagement, and education. Comparable as an emerging peer that targets the same youth leadership and capacity-building demographic as YESI Rwanda's programs.

Direct peers

• Never Again Rwanda: Rwandan peacebuilding and civic education NGO focused on youth and citizenship. Direct peer given its overlapping mission with YESI Rwanda's youth empowerment work and existing partnership on the Youth and Health Radio Program.
• AfriYAN Rwanda: African Youth and Adolescents Network chapter focused on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRHR). Direct peer given YESI Rwanda's explicit work on ASRHR and its formal collaboration with AfriYAN Rwanda.
• Gold Youth Development Agency: International youth peer-education organization active in Africa, focused on adolescent health and youth leadership. Direct peer because YESI Rwanda's Gold Youth Peer Education Program is delivered in partnership with this organization and shares the same methodology and target beneficiaries.
• Rwanda Youth Voice for Change: Rwandan youth-led advocacy organization promoting youth participation in governance, health, and climate action. Direct peer sharing the same target demographic (Rwandan youth), advocacy methodology, and SDG alignment as YESI Rwanda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Yesi_Rwanda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yesirwanda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YESI Rwanda