In a quiet home perched on the misty hills of Kamembe, Rusizi District, Western province of Rwanda, the once-muted lives of teenage mothers are now alive with the buzz of sewing machines and the hopeful hum of transformation. Here, in a modest house turned sanctuary, the GAAFAADE Youth Empowerment Centre is helping young women reclaim what society once tried to take from them: their dignity, their dreams, and their futures.
Founded in 2023 by Rwandan social entrepreneur Nduwimana Jean Paul, GAAFAADE (which means “Lift Me Up” in Kinyarwanda) has become a beacon of resilience and hope. Under his NGO, Necessary Generation, and with backing from organizations such as One World Citizens, Net4Kids, and Country FM, the center offers more than vocational skills — it offers second chances.
Sewing New Futures
For many teenage girls in Rwanda, early motherhood brings a painful chain reaction: school dropout, family rejection, community stigma, and deep poverty. But inside GAAFAADE’s walls, a new narrative is unfolding.
Young mothers here receive hands-on training in sewing, tailoring, ICT, and business development. They learn to make school uniforms, clothing, and reusable sanitary pads — products that serve local needs and provide a source of income. Some items are already being sold in nearby markets, helping the center inch toward financial sustainability.
Nduwimana Jean Paul popularly known as NOOPJA, Founder of Gafaade Initiative
“We don’t just teach them to sew,” says Jean Paul. “We teach them to believe again — in themselves, in their future, in their dignity.”
Numbers That Tell a Story
In just over a year, GAAFAADE has trained more than 170 teen mothers. With sewing machines donated by the Rusizi District and supporting partners, many graduates have started small businesses.
Marie, 18, is one of them. Today, she earns enough to care for her child and pay rent.
“People used to look down on me,” says Lidencienne, another graduate. “Now they ask me for jobs.”
From Tragedy to Transformation
Behind the center’s growing success lies a deeply personal story. As a teenager, Jean Paul once found an abandoned baby in a forest — a moment that haunted him and revealed the devastating realities faced by pregnant girls in crisis.
That experience eventually gave birth to GAAFAADE, not as a charity, but as a mission of empathy and action. “If the future belongs to the youth, what kind of future are we building when our youth is made up of hopeless teen mothers and broken communities?” Jean Paul asks.
His vision is grounded in compassion, and local leadership — and it’s gaining attention. Policymakers and development organizations have expressed interest in replicating the model across Rwanda.
The Road Ahead
Despite its impact, GAAFAADE faces daily challenges. Demand for its services continues to grow, but resources remain limited. The center urgently needs sewing supplies, ICT equipment, funds for rent and electricity, and support for its dedicated volunteer staff.
To meet these needs, Jean Paul has launched a global fundraising campaign titled:
“Save Teenage Mothers and Their Babies in Rwanda: Give Them a Second Chance Through GAAFAADE.”
Support here →
His goal is to not just sustain GAAFAADE, but to fully equip and expand it into a self-sustaining social enterprise.
“This project is not just mine,” Jean Paul says. “It’s the dream of every girl who dared to believe again — and every time I feel like giving up, I remember them, and I keep going.”
Handmade Hope
In Rusizi, where silence and shame once smothered possibility, hope is now being stitched together by hand. At GAAFAADE, teen mothers are rising — stronger, wiser, and unafraid of tomorrow.
- They are no longer just statistics.
- They are leaders.
- They are survivors.
And thanks to a needle, thread, and unwavering vision, they are reclaiming their place in the world — one stitch at a time.
