Director General of Imbuto Foundation, Elodie Shami speaks to one of the recipients of the 2026 awards
KIGALI — Imbuto Foundation on Thursday recognized 59 outstanding girls for their exceptional performance in the 2024-2025 national examinations during the annual Inkubito z’Icyeza awards ceremony held at FAWE Girls’ School in Kigali.
The event, which was presided over by the Director General of Imbuto Foundation, Elodie Shami, celebrated girls who emerged among the country’s best performers at primary and secondary school levels.
The Inkubito z’Icyeza initiative, launched in 2005 under the patronage of First Lady Mrs Jeannette Kagame, aims to promote academic excellence among girls, boost their confidence, and encourage more young women to pursue education and leadership opportunities.
Imbuto DG Shami commended the award recipients for their dedication, discipline and commitment to excellence, while also recognizing the role played by parents, teachers and school leaders in supporting the students’ success.
Imbuto Foundation said the awardees represent a new generation of young women whose achievements demonstrate the growing impact of efforts to promote girls’ education in Rwanda.
Over the past two decades, the program has become one of Rwanda’s most prominent initiatives supporting girls’ education. Since its inception, more than 8,100 girls have been recognized through awards presented at sector, district, provincial and national levels.
Each year, the program rewards top-performing girls from across the country, including the best-performing girl in every sector, as well as top achievers at provincial and national levels.
In a message shared during the event, Imbuto Foundation described the award recipients as “the pride of girls,” highlighting their role as examples for younger generations of students.
The foundation noted that the initiative forms part of its broader mission to educate, engage and empower communities, while contributing to Rwanda’s efforts to promote gender equality and human capital development.
The 2026 edition of Inkubito z’Icyeza marks more than 20 years of recognizing academic excellence among girls, with many former beneficiaries having gone on to become professionals, innovators and leaders in different sectors.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of awards and certificates to the 59 students, whose achievements were celebrated as a testament to the progress Rwanda has made in expanding educational opportunities for girls and young women.
