Welcoming YPARD Rwanda Communications Liaisons: Sharon Munyazikwiye and Clet Iyamenye

We are pleased to welcome the firsts YPARD Rwanda Communications Liaisons: Sharon Munyazikwiye and Clet Iyamenye.

Sharon, the youth activist

Sharon is a passionate and activist in youth and agriculture development, with a degree in Environmental Chemistry by the former National University of Rwanda and a Business Management Certificate by the Universal Class TM.

With working experience both in Communications and Coaching sectors, Sharon attended and did a presentation at the DOT’s Digital Youth and Learning UN Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2014. Before, he worked during one year as a social reporter as well as empowering over 600 youth and women in the southern province of Rwanda as a Facilitator and Business coach at Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT Rwanda) during four years.

Since June 2013, he worked at Smart Entrepreneurs Ltd as Operations Manager; and volunteered with LUTI -Let Us Transform Life Initiative-, developing business plans as well as training and drafting projects. In Rwanda, Sharon conducted different surveys including the Business Climate Survey, for the Private Sector Federation Rwanda (PSF), and the DOT Rwanda Partners Survey.

Furthermore, he was a member of the remote Social Reporting Team at the 2013 ICT4Ag Conference, held in Kigali, and a Business Coach for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) beneficiaries. Currently, Sharon serves as a Technical Officer-Enterprise Development at the organization Teach a Man to Fish.

Sharon’s passion to serve YPARD as a social reporter bloomed when he was called to participate as an event interviewer in the ATHGO’s Entrepreneurship web 3.0S: Transform Africa conference, in October 2013. Ever since, he has collaborated in different activities within YPARD Rwanda.

Clet, a “youthpreneur”

Clet has a background in Agriculture and Rural Development and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science and Technology from the former Higher Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (ISAE-BUSOGO) in Rwanda.

After his University studies, Clet joined DOT-RWANDA as an intern in August 2012 where he empowered more than 250 youth and women on entrepreneurship, ICT and life skills. Thanks to this internship, Clet had the chance to carry out other professional ICT based trainings on Web 2.0 and social media for development offered by CTA which have strengthened his passion of publishing and sharing information on ARD, ICT4Ag and youth fostering.

In May and July 2013, Clet participated consecutively in two learning opportunities which in turn enhanced his lifelong learning spirit: DOT’s Youth and Learning UN Conference which was held in Nairobi, Kenya and the first African Internet Governance School which was organised in Durban, South Africa. Before the end of 2013, Clet was recruited by ATGHO International as a photography intern to support the Entrepreneurship web 3.0S during the Transform Africa summit in Kigali.

Afterwards, in November 2013, Clet was among 15 on-site social media reporters who had supported CTA and MINAGRI to raise awareness during the sessions before and after the ICT4Ag international conference and the event that had been held in Kigali.

Clet is currently serving as Income Generating activities field officer with Good Neighbours in Rwanda, the organization which is acting as the implementer of a World Food Program (WFP) project called Saemaul Zero Hunger Community (SZHC). Besides, he is a “youthpreneur” as well as an “enviropreneur” volunteer in YEPRwanda2014, A project initiated by Rwanda Youth Alliance for Climate Actions (RYACA).

What does a ‘Communications liaison’ do?

As communications liaisons, Clet and Sharon’s main mission will be to "filling the gap" between online information sharing activities and those YPARD members from Rwanda who are not active online. Due to the lack of awareness, interest and access to ICTs, as well as the language barriers in their country, both will collect and elaborate information from members "on-the-ground" to disseminate it online via blogging and social media.

At the same time, they will collect information online on ARD relevant for their peers in Rwanda and share it with them physically. They will join the YPARD Global SMT to enhance Rwanda Youth's contribution within Global discussions and experience sharing for youth in agriculture empowerment.

Both feel this position is a great opportunity to get more involved with YPARD by promoting youth in agriculture empowerment as well as the use of ICT for agriculture.

Welcome, Sharon and Clet!