In October 2025, we had the pleasure of returning to Rwanda, to host a third Tech2Empower program in the capital city of Kigali. As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainable impact, we seek to deepen existing connections with our partners and the communities we serve by repeatedly returning to program countries. This ongoing engagement strengthens relationships founded on established trust and shared goals, and drives lasting change. This year in Kigali we worked with NGOs we had partnered with in 2019 and/or 2022, plus made connections with new organizations. This year, as WAKE commemorates our 10-year anniversary, we reflect on a decade of invaluable partnerships, in Kigali and beyond.
Tech2Empower Rwanda created impact through two main initiatives:
a.) Seven women-led Rwandan NGOs and Social Enterprises partnered with our Tech2Empower Advisors from across the tech industry. Together, they collaborated on a social impact project designed to amplify their reach and effectiveness.
b.) Tech2Empower Advisors facilitated STEM- and leadership-focused workshops for high school students at the Maranyundo Girls School designed to foster enthusiasm for STEM and advance students’ leadership and technology skills.
We were honored to continue our seventh year working with Impact Hub Kigali, and appreciate the way in which they leveraged their powerful network and their team’s talents to ensure the program was meaningful and successful. Our work is fueled by our Tech2Empower Advisors - professionals from companies including Accenture, Disney, Google, Planet, and Salesforce - who volunteer their time and expertise to champion social justice and women’s economic empowerment.
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Each of the Rwandan women-led NGOs and Social Enterprises that participated in the Tech2Empower Impact Challenge provide services that support the advancement of Rwandan women and girls, whether through STEM education, women’s economic empowerment, or advocating for the sexual and reproductive health rights and justice for all women and girls. The NGO teams and their Advisors undertook projects proposed by the Rwandans.
Grown to Help builds sustainable communities by supporting women and children with access to education, resources, and pathways to self-reliance. Their project strengthened the team’s pitch deck development and presentation skills to enhance how they represent Grown to Help to potential donors and partners. The final deliverable was a powerful, effective pitch deck and enhanced presentation skills for a strong call to action.
Impanuro Girls Initiative improves the lives of adolescent girls and women by focusing on education, counseling, socio-economic empowerment, and leadership development. Their project goal was to strengthen their data and impact management system, improving how data is collected, analyzed, and visualized. The end result was a foundational data management plan, a user-friendly data schema, and a simple visual dashboard to track progress. This project enhances the organization's capacity to respond effectively to the needs of women and girls, ensuring lasting impact.
Kosmotive improves reproductive, maternal, and child health with innovative products, health education, and digital services. Their well-known product, KosmoPads, offers affordable, reusable menstrual products that promote health and sustainability. Their Tech2Empower project was a deep dive into their storytelling strategy, crafting a compelling story that will resonate with both funders and beneficiaries. The team reviewed the current social media strategy and created a new marketing strategy with tailored messaging to deepen engagement, inspiring action, and sustained impact.
Love and Hands is dedicated to community-driven development that draws on the strengths and resources in local communities by helping people identify and build upon their existing assets. Their Tech2Empower project refreshed their brand identity to better align with the communities they serve. Together the team created a branding strategy that clarified the organization’s mission statement and created a strong narrative for partner outreach. The resultant clear messaging and effective social media posts convey the organization’s essential work.
Resonate’s interactive workshops shift mindsets, turn potential into action, and build confidence and leadership skills among women and girls, including survivors of gender-based violence. Through Tech2Empower, the team undertook a marketing and branding refresh. As a result, Resonate has a compelling digital strategy with which to increase their visibility through clear and inspiring presentation of their work. From this collaboration, Resonate hopes to gain more funders and champions that will lead them to secure resources they need to serve more women and girls across East Africa.
Rwanda Women Doctors for Reproductive Justice is a network of women physicians committed to advancing reproductive justice and gender equity through programs like “She Mentor Her” (SheMeHer), which connects young women with mentors in medicine and science to increase female representation in medical fields.Through Tech2Empower, the team created a new digital strategy to accelerate the impact of the SheMeHer/Career Guidance Initiative. The end result was a new webpage dedicated to the SheMeHer program with a focus on the Career Guidance Initiative, including a content plan for the organization’s social media platforms.
Starlight Africa empowers girls through experiential STEM education that sparks imagination and fosters innovation. Their programs provide hands-on learning experiences that connect STEM concepts to real-world challenges, encouraging girls to see themselves as problem-solvers and future leaders. Through Tech2Empower, the team enhanced Starlight Africa's digital presence and engagement through a branding toolkit and communication strategy and the foundation for a website redevelopment. These deliverables will increase Starlight’s visibility globally and help them attract more supporters and partners, leading to a greater impact in the community.
The Impact Challenge provided social impact leaders with critical skills and resources to enhance their work:
Advisors and NGO teams worked effectively to achieve meaningful project outcomes. 100% of participants surveyed:
“Being part of the Tech2Empower Rwanda Impact Challenge has been an inspiring and transformative experience. It offered me the space to connect with passionate changemakers, refine our digital innovation, and strengthen our vision for empowering young women through mentorship and career guidance. The mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on learning throughout the challenge have deepened my commitment to using technology as a force for gender equality and community impact in Rwanda.” — Apophie Tumukunde, Rwanda Women Doctors for Reproductive Justice
“Inspiring, productive, and above all joyful. Our small team delivered more than I ever thought possible in just a few short days. The Impact Challenge pushed every one of us to expand our skills, dream bigger, and act courageously… a direct reflection of the brave and inspiring work our org is doing here in Rwanda. I know the relationships will last beyond the week we spent together here, and the experience of being a part of this team in this beautiful country will stay with me forever.” — Tarin Rickett, Reddit, Advisor
“Tech2Empower Rwanda was an amazing and fulfilling experience. I was able to leverage my background and skills to drive immediate and powerful impact, uplifting not only the beneficiaries of our partner NGOs work, but also the skillsets of the participants. Incredibly fun and generous group of women to work with!” — Edith Laird, Google, Advisor
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We had the privilege of implementing the Tech2Empower Day for Girls program in partnership with the Maranyundo Girls School in the Bugesera District. Maranyundo is a high performing secondary boarding school known for its strong science and technology curriculum and its core values of respect, responsibility, and leadership. While we have welcomed Maranyundo students to previous Day for Girls programs in Kigali, this was our first time bringing the program to their campus.
Our Advisors designed and facilitated interactive workshops focused on leadership and STEM, with the goal of inspiring students to strengthen their leadership capabilities and expand their technology skills.
The day began with Rmrkblty’s #IAmRemarkable workshop, which empowers participants to recognize and openly celebrate their achievements while challenging social norms around self-promotion. Students then engaged in a series of practical, skill-based sessions covering topics such as problem solving under pressure, embracing personal strengths, digital wellbeing and media literacy, online safety, and AI-powered video creating and storytelling. Advisors and students shared lunch, creating space for personal conversations and deeper connection.
Day for Girls proved to be a meaningful and energizing culmination of the Tech2Empower program, equipping students with practical skills, confidence, and new connections that will support their continued growth in STEM and leadership. It reinforced our commitment to supporting the next generation of women leaders in STEM and demonstrated the power of creating spaces where young women can learn, lead, and envision their future potential.
“The confidence of the girls was inspiring, they did not hesitate to share what made them Remarkable. Across my group, the items they listed were not based on achievement, but on their personal character traits, which was amazing to hear. They were proud of being smart and strong, standing up for what they believed and being a good friend and teammate.” — Heather Georgianna, Advisor
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Our third Tech2Empower Rwanda program reaffirmed the power of collaboration, trusted partnerships, and community-driven innovation. By strengthening the capacity of women-led organizations, expanding opportunities for girls in STEM, and deepening long-standing relationships and partnerships across Kigali, the program delivered a meaningful and lasting impact. As we mark a decade of Tech2Empower, this year’s program is a testament to what is possible when local leaders, global Advisors, and committed partners come together to advance gender equity and create opportunities that advance women and girls in their roles as changemakers.
