Increased Access to Decent Jobs: MSEs Enterprise Development & Em­ploy­a­bil­i­ty

Access to employment, especially for youth and women, is vital for income generation and improving the living standards of disadvantaged citizens. This goal can be achieved through promoting self-employment via MSME empowerment or through opportunity-driven training to enhance access to waged employment. 

The Decent Work and Social Protection program by Enabel in Rwanda supports both aspiring and scaling entrepreneurs in overcoming barriers to self-employment. This includes generating viable business ideas, creating business plans, acquiring technical and management skills, accessing markets, technologies, and financing, and navigating regulatory frameworks, including labor and tax regulations. 

Through business development services and access to finance initiatives, the program supports 6,000 start-ups and existing MSMEs with tailored interventions, including needs assessments, training, coaching, and mentorship. It also facilitates linkages to financial institutions, leveraging partnerships with the Business Development Fund (BDF). The first cohort of 3,000 entrepreneurs from Kigali, Rubavu, and Rusizi is engaging with financial institutions, while the second cohort from Karongi, Nyamasheke, and Rutsiro is undergoing training. 

Additionally, the program empowers 1,400 women in informal cross-border trade between Rwanda and the DRC to formalize and expand their businesses. This includes forming savings groups, cooperatives, and linkages to markets and financial services. So far, 28 legally registered cooperatives have been established, driven by member-developed business plans. 

In collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, over 300 innovative MSMEs have received grants through business competitions, fostering creativity and entrepreneurship. 

For promoting waged employment, the program implements a dual training system in partnership with the Rwanda TVET Board. This involves six months of technical school training followed by six months of industry-based training, targeting youth who dropped out of school. Of the 300 graduates, many are retained by their host companies, while others secure jobs elsewhere or pursue self-employment. A new cohort of 300 is currently enrolled, with the program aiming to support 1,000 youth, over half of whom are women. 

The dual training initiative is complemented by skills upgrading interventions for informal workers, enabling them to transition to formal employment with better working conditions, such as wages, contracts, and social security. To date, 300 workers have benefited, with a target of reaching over 1,000 workers. 

Furthermore, in partnership with sector trade unions in manufacturing and mining, the program implements the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) project. This initiative certifies skills informally acquired through experience, addressing gaps through targeted training. Over 5,000 workers have so far benefited from this intervention and given the market, the 2 sector trade unions have been given additional funding to scale up and increase the number of supported to 7000 in total. 

Trade unions also play a pivotal role in negotiating and implementing collective bargaining agreements, improving working conditions such as wages, contracts, social security, workplace safety, and skills development for enhanced productivity and performance. 

The program’s interventions align with Rwanda’s National Transformation Strategy (NST1 & NST2), directly contributing to national employment and decent work targets while fostering inclusivity, gender equality, and sustainable economic growth.

Related stakeholder type 

HR-departments 
 Informal Leaders 
Organizations (non-governmental, cooperatives, government institution) 
Micro & small businesses 
Medium & large enterprises 
National and regional government 
 Sector organizations 
Trade Unions 
TVETs 
Universities 
Work councils 
Youth and Women organization 

Related ILO decent work element 

Employment security 

Job stability and security (contract, Dismissal, job loss/maintenance) 

Labour market security 

Unemployment, irregular work and underemployment 
Professional development
Professional mobility
Education and vocational training 

Income security 

Living wage 
Frequence of income 

Social Dialogue 

Health insurance
Work injury insurance 
Maternity  
Retirement 

Work life balance and well being  

Combining work, family and personal life
Decent Working Time 
Autonomy at work 
Job satisfaction 

Fair treatment 

Discrimination 
Violence
Child labour
Fair pay 
Forced labour 
Gender based violence 

 Occupational Health and Safety 

Protective environment 
Training/sensitization 
 Risks (biochemical, ergonomic) 
Health impact 

Voice and representation  

Participation 
Worker representation 
Freedom of association
worker right
complains
inspections 

Target group 

entrepreneurs 
Graduates 
employers 
 Students 
Women 
Workers 
Youths 

Related Enabel thematic area:  

Better enforcement of labour laws and social security 
Education & Training 
Employment services 
Extend access for vulnerable workers 
Facilitate national and regional policy dialogue and coordination on decent work 
Gender 
Increasing awareness of labour rights 
Job creation 
Living wage and living income 
Measuring progress towards decent work 
Promote dialogue between tripartite actors 
Rules and regulation 
Strengthening of regulatory and legislative frameworks and implementation mechanisms on decent work  

Place 

Rwanda: Kivu Belt Districts (Rusizi, Nyamasheke, Karongi, Rutsiro, Rubavu) & Kigali City (Gasabo, Kicukiro, Nyarugenge)