Enhancing Air Connectivity: Transforming Intra-African Airline Connectivity for Tourism and Trade By Pacifique Mugisha

AI for Environmental Justice: Addressing Climate Change in Africa By Rachel ITENDEREZWE

Rwanda's fintech sector is rapidly evolving, driven by a strong push for financial inclusion and a supportive regulatory environment. To understand the current landscape and identify opportunities for growth, the Certa Foundation and the International Trade Center (ITC) convened a stakeholder session on December 5, 2024, under Chatham House rules.

Africa stands at a critical juncture, facing the urgent need to balance economic development with environmental sustainability.

On November 2024, the Center for Justice and Advocacy at the Certa Foundation in partnership with Kvinna till Kvinna convened a Stakeholder Engagement on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) themed “The Role and Risk of Technology in Combating and Facilitating GBV.”

Certa Foundation was invited to participate in the 10th Justice, Reconciliation, Law, and Order Sector (JRLOS) Peer Review Retreat, held on October 28-29, 2024, at the EPIC Hotel in Nyagatare District.

On October 24th & 25th, 2024, The Certa Foundation had the privilege of participating in the "Frontiers in Digital Child Safety" meeting, a hybrid event organized by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), in collaboration with scholars from the University of Zurich and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. This event convened leaders and practitioners in digital safety for a two-day discussion on "On-Device Approaches to Intervene When Conduct and Contact Risks Occur" and "Design Approaches that Foster Trust" for safer digital experiences for children.

In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child and the International Day of Rural Women on October 15th, our Musanze District Pro bono Officer, Geraldine, organized a community-wide event aimed at raising awareness about GBV and child defilement. Under the theme “Unite to End GBV and Child Defilement,” this event focused on empowering young girls and women in rural areas to advocate for their rights and access essential resources for safety and justice.

October 9th, 2024the Center for Justice and Advocacy ( CJA)held a training session with Civil Society organizations on the new No. 058/2024 of 20/06/2024, governing NGOs in Rwanda, enacted in June 2024.This new legislation consolidates previous frameworks for national and international NGOs, aiming to simplify registration, enhance transparency, and strengthen accountability.

On October 3rd, members of the Certa Foundation attended a workshop led by the Ministry of Justice to review the progress of the National Legal Aid Policy implementation.

On October 4th, the Center for Justice and Advocacy(CJA) hosted a group of students from Gashora Girls Academy to review the Sexual Reproductive Health Manual actively engaging them in the process of improving Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education. 

Following the capacity-building session, Certa’s representatives proceeded to Muyumbu Sector to engage with “Bandebereho,” a group of male advocates in Akinyambo village dedicated to changing mindsets and combating family-based conflicts and violence. Supported by the GIKURIRO KURI BOSE initiative, this group has come together to address GBV issues within their community.

On October 1st, the Center for Justice and Advocacy organized a specialized training in Kirehe, focusing on building capacity for justice actors in handling Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases.

The Fintech Insight event hosted by the Center for Law and Innovation brought together over 20 participants, including industry experts, lawyers, and young practitioners, to examine the critical role of consumer trust in fintech. The event featured Lukas Bühlmann from MLL Legal Ltd, Switzerland; Chris Songa from the National Bank of Rwanda; Elvis Kwizera, Program Associate at the Center for Law and Innovation at Certa Foundation; Consolata Nakure, Human Resources Director & Project Manager at Rwanda ICT Chamber, and Oyin Olusesi, the Data Protection Officer at Kora, Nigeria, aa African fintech company. The event was moderated by CLI’s Cynthia Isimbi Nkusi. 

Our Executive Director at the CERTA Foundation was a judge at Jasiri Demo Day 1, where the Dana cohort presented a new wave of impactful, innovation-driven solutions. This event showcased the dedication, creativity, and strategic vision of East Africa’s entrepreneurial talent, underscoring the incredible potential within the region to address pressing challenges through innovative ventures.