DENYSE UWINEZA Represents Rwanda as "2015 MILEAD Fellow"

Denyse UWINEZA, an Alumni of Ignite The Youth, has recently been named among Africa’s Most Outstanding Emerging Women Leaders. She will represent the Republic of Rwanda as a MILEAD Fellow for 2015. Ignite The Youth International Society congratulates her on this remarkable achievement and wishes her all the best in the reputable fellowship program!

This new MILEAD Fellows represent Africa’s most promising young women leaders with the courage and commitment to lead and shape the future of Africa. The Fellows were chosen through a highly competitive selection process and criteria based on their outstanding leadership promise, community service accomplishments, and commitment to the advancement of women in Africa.

Ms. Denyse UWINEZA’s selection is in recognition of her remarkable track record as a leading Gender & Youth Activist in Rwanda and Africa. Ms. Denyse is currently completing a Master of Arts and Social Sciences degree specializing in Gender and Development in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Rwanda.  She has a passion for promoting women and gender issues after observing that women and girls sometimes are marginalized by the society, family and friends. She works to promote gender equality and equity in Rwanda and region.  

Denyse has also attended several gender training sessions at the international level (the Women Health Empowerment Intensive Course and Intermediate Mentor Training) and active in youth movements (Rwanda Youth Alliance for Climate Actions, gender for results network, International Youth Fellowship and Ignite the Youth Africa). She is currently working on her own website called ahange.com, as an approach of reaching many youth and as a system of spreading information and training related to youth empowerment and sexual reproductive health. The website's aim is reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and Sexual Transmission Diseases among Rwandan youth. She also strongly believes and promotes the global citizenry - "Continuing to think globally even as we act locally".