Media release:
Senior Rwandans mentor aspiring women managers

16 January 2008

A second group of senior Rwandan men and women from the government, private and non-government sectors have attended a mentors’ workshop sponsored by the Canadian Corporation for the joint RIAM /SNV Rwanda/ Rwanda Association of University Women (RAUW) Career Management and Development Training Program.

The objectives of the workshops for both men and women, are to further participants’ understanding of mentoring, to canvas the benefits to both mentors and mentees, to share experiences of mentoring and to practice mentoring skills.

According to one of the mentors, Hon Soline Nyirahabimana, Minister in the Office of the President, Rwanda has excellent policies in place for women to take on senior management positions and this mentor program will encourage middle managers to set career goals and support them to achieve them.

To date mentors have included former ambassadors, parliamentarians, heads of business and government agencies, senior public servants and leaders of NGOs. Mentors will be matched with mentees who are in a similar profession who have undergone similar training and experience.

Mr Narcisse Musabeyezu, Secretary General of the Ministry of Education, shared his own experience of mentoring with the group, where he is matched with a colleague in a similar position in the United Kingdom. “There are tremendous benefits in this program”, he said.

Key mentoring skills include active listening, giving guidance and encouragement, supporting people to manage relationships, providing constructive criticism and giving practical insights about keeping on task and setting goals and priorities.

Dr Shirley Randell, Senior Adviser in Education, SNV Rwanda and Secretary General of RAUW has prepared the mentors training and materials based on a similar Australian program. “ Mentoring is a process based on mutual trust and respect in which a more experienced person helps a less experienced person develop his or her goals and skills” Dr Randell said. “It is about helping another person learn, rather than teaching them”.

According to the President of RAUW, Ambassador Joy Mukanyange, promotion is not the primary intent of the program but mentoring can also be directly linked to career success because of its emphasis on making a person feel valued and confident, and offering them a unique measure of personal support.

Ms Restituta Mukantagara, Officer in Charge of Gender and Leadership Training, RIAM is organising the five-day training programs for women who will participate as mentees. Two courses have already been held and a third is taking place this week in RIAM Gitarama. Mentor Dr Agnes Binagwaho, Executive Secretary of CNLS has already spoken to the mentees in the training programs about her career experience.

	Preparing for a rolepaly on mentoring
	Group photo
	Mentors Course

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