Rwanda is engaging social impact investors to take part in the country’s development agenda.
Rwanda last year signed a deal with a US based Wharton University to facilitate knowledge exchange and encourage policy change in national markets.
The academic institution is a global leader in Business and Finance studies. About 30 MBA students today met with President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro.
The president told students that Rwanda has used its human capital to move from scratch to economic growth despite suffering the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
“22 years ago we saw bad things humans are capable of, today you see the good the same human beings are capable of,” Kagame said during interaction with the MBA students.
Rwandans decided to move on and shape a brighter future. The country has emerged among the rapid growing economies on the continent, registering an annual growth rate of 8% for the past decade.
“People got together and said we can only make a difference when we shape our future and leave our past behind,” Kagame said.
The President said that Rwandans have opened up to work with partners in development of which Wharton University should be part of this journey; “It is a great pleasure for us to be with you and learn from one another.”
Meanwhile Francis Gatare, CEO of Rwanda Development Board who accompanied the students and their staff told KT Press that RDB had signed an agreement with the University to extend its philanthropy activities and social impact investments in Rwanda.
“We signed an agreement last year, which will see Wharton University-leader in Finance help us attract investments in social impact.”
Meanwhile, Catherine J. Klein, Vice Dean for Wharton’s Social Impact Initiative, told KT Press that her team has visited Rwanda five times, and look forward to lending their expertise in promoting and developing business strategies.
Wharton Social Impact Initiative promote business strategies through research, consulting, hands-on training and outreach as well as advancing the science and practice of social impact.
