1. What is the iAccelerator?
The Innovation Accelerator (iAccelerator) is a mentorship driven acceleration programme, supporting young entrepreneurs with seed funding, training and skills development to generate innovative solutions in response to challenges related to sexual and reproductive health, sexuality education, family planning, maternal health and other population development issues. The iAccelerator seeks to generate innovative, youth-led solutions for youth in Rwanda, to have increased utilization of health services and adopt healthy and safe attitudes and behaviours.
2. Who initiated the iAccelerator, and why?
Implemented by Imbuto Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Arts, UNFPA and Friends of Imbuto. iAccelerator is an initiative and model initially launched in December 2016, aiming at exploring new and engaging ways to tackle pressing population challenges in the region while promoting social entrepreneurship among young people.
3. What challenge is the iAccelerator addressing?
The iAccelerator seeks to generate innovative, youth-led solutions for youth in Rwanda, to have increased utilization of health services and adopt healthy and safe attitudes and behaviors.
This year’s iAccelerator will focus on encouraging young people to think critically and creatively about issues associated with Adolescents’ Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) and mental health issues.
For this year’s iAccelerator, every applicant will be requested to address one of the following challenges:
- Applying innovative and sustainable solutions to break the stigma around Mental Health
- Improving access to Adolescents and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health (AYSRH) quality information and services.
4. Who can participate in the iAccelerator?
This project is open to all Rwandan nationals aged between 18-30 years old.
5. Why does iAccelerator target young people?
iAccelerator is targeting young people in Rwanda because they make up for the largest section (65.3%) of the population (NISR, 2022). They are the most affected by the challenges that the Government seeks to address. Youth are in a better position to propose creative and innovative solutions to challenges facing fellow youth, through mediums they are more drawn to, such as online, televised and reading platforms.
Additionally, we believe the project has the potential to address youth unemployment through the promotion of social entrepreneurship.
6. Can groups take part in the project and be selected as a group?
Yes. Groups can apply for the project, comprising not more than 4 individuals.
7. Is there enough gender representation in the competition?
Gender equality is highly encouraged in this competition.
8. Can I join the competition with an existing project which needs funding?
Yes. However, it does not exempt you from going through each of the project’s stages. Forgot what the stages are? Refer to timeline.
9. Which language should I use?
Applicants are allowed to develop and submit their applications in either English, French or kinyarwanda
10. Who will select the top winners of the project?
Winners will be selected by a panel of judges with expertise in fields such as health, social entrepreneurship and innovation. The judging criteria will be based on pitching skills, observed research made on the subject, team work (if applicable), relevance of solutions to the challenge as well as creativity expressed in reaching the youth through the presented innovation.
11. What prizes will the winners be offered?
The iAccelerator will start with a countrywide selection of sustainable and scalable youth-friendly AYSRH and mental health projects. The top 6 projects will be awarded with seed funding of 10 Million Rwf and will be provided with access to 6 months of training & mentorship.
12. Do you have a question that wasn’t answered above?
You can email us at empowerment@imbutofoundation.org or reach out to us by DM (Direct Message) on all our social media platforms.
1. iAccelerator ni iki ?
Gahunda ya Innovation Accelerator (iAccelerator) igamije gufasha ba rwiyemezamirimo b’urubyiruko, bashobora guhanga udushya dutanga ibisubizo birambye ku bibazo birimo gukumira akato gahabwa abafite ibibazo by’ubuzima bwo mu mutwe ndetse n’uburyo bwo gutanga serivisi n’amakuru ya nyayo y’ubuzima bw’imyororokere ku rubyiruko.
2. Ni nde watekereje iAccelerator, byatewe n’iki?
Uyu mushinga watekerejwe unashyirwa mu bikorwa na Imbuto Foundation ku bufatanye na UNFPA, Minisiteri y’Urubyiruko n’ Iterambere ry’Ubuhanzi ndetse na Friends of Imbuto. iAccelerator ni gahunda yatangijwe ku mugaragaro mu Ukuboza 2016, hagamijwe gushakisha uburyo bushya bwo gukemura ibibazo by’ingutu by’abaturage mu karere no guteza imbere kwihangira imirimo mu rubyiruko.
3. Ni izihe mbogamizi iAccelerator igamije gukuraho ?
Kuri iAccelerator y’uyu mwaka, buri muntu wese uzashaka kwitabira azasabwa gukemura imwe mu mbogamizi zikurikira:
- Guhanga udushya dutanga ibisubizo birambye mu gukumira akato gahabwa abafite ibibazo by’ubuzima bwo mu mutwe
- Kunoza uburyo bwo gutanga serivisi n’amakuru nyayo y’ubuzima bw’imyororokere ku rubyiruko.
4. Ni nde wemerewe kujya muri iAccelerator?
Amarembo arafunguye ku benegihugu bose bo mu Rwanda kimwe n’abatuye mu Rwanda, bafite hagati y’imyaka 18-30.
5. Kuki iAccelerator amaso yayo ari ku rubyiruko ?
iAccelerator ihanze amaso urubyiruko mu Rwanda kuko rugize igice kinini (65,3%) cy’abaturage (NISR, 2022).
Nirwo rwibasiwe cyane n’ibibazo Guverinoma ishaka gukemura. Urubyiruko ruri mu mwanya mwiza wo gutanga ibisubizo byubaka kandi bishya ku bibazo byugarije urubyiruko bagenzi babo, bahuriye ku kuba aribo bamenya amakuru ajyanye no kuva aho umuntu ari, binyuze mu itangazamakuru ritandukanye baba bariho ririmo iryo kuri internet, televiziyo ndetse n’iryandika.
Byongeye kandi, twizera ko umushinga ufite ubushobozi bwo gukemura ubushomeri mu rubyiruko binyuze mu guteza imbere kwihangira imirimo.
6. Amatsinda ashobora kwitabira umushinga ugatorwa nk’uw’itsinda?
Yego. Amatsinda ashobora gusaba kwitabira, ariko itsinda rikaba rigizwe n’abantu batarenze 4.
7. Haba hari uburinganire buhagije mu marushanwa?
Uburinganire burashyigikirwa cyane muri iri rushanwa.
8. Nshobora kwitabira amarushanwa n'umushinga usanzwe uriho ariko ukeneye inkunga?
9. Ni uruhe rurimi ruzakoreshwa?
Usaba yemerewe gukoresha Icyongereza, Igifaransa cyangwa Kinyarwanda.
10. Ni nde uzahitamo abatsinze?
Abatsinze bazatorwa n’itsinda ry’akanama nkemurampaka gafite ubuhanga mu bijyanye n’ubuzima, kwihangira imirimo no guhanga udushya.
Ibipimo bizasuzumwa bizashingira ku buhanga, ubushakashatsi bwakozwe ku mushinga wa nyirawo, gukorera hamwe (mu gihe bishoboka), ireme ry’ibisubizo ku bibazo byagaragajwe.
11. Ni ubuhe bwoko bw'amafaranga na tekiniki iAccelerator izaha abatsinze mbere?
iAccelerator izatangira gutoranya imishinga irambye mu gihugu cyose, yagutse kandi ijyanye n’urubyiruko. Imishinga 6 ya mbere izahabwa inkunga ingana na Miliyoni 10 Frw, ndetse ihabwe amahirwe yo guhugurwa mu gihe cy’amezi 6 n’inama zifasha ba Nyirumushinga kuyinoza.
12. Waba ufite ikibazo kitashubijwe hejuru?
Ushobora kutwandikira kuri empowerment@imbutofoundation.org, cyangwa ukanyuza ubutumwa bwawe ku mbuga nkoranyambaga zacu.