193 Tailors recognized as certified professionals through RPL Program

This initiative was established to acknowledge and accredit individuals who have acquired vocational skills through work experience and daily practice, without necessarily having gone through formal education. It enables them to be officially recognized as professional practitioners at the national level.

Mukangango Delice, widely known as Furaha, has been working as a tailor for 20 years. She said receiving this certificate marks the beginning of a new chapter in her professional journey.

“I’m very happy to have received this certificate. It will help me go further, I’m planning to establish a tailoring school and collaborate with other entrepreneurs in Rwanda and abroad who do similar work. I now see greater opportunities to reach new markets,”. She said.

Theopiste Mukamurenzi, a tailor from Muhanga District, was also among those certified. She previously worked in government institutions but later realized her true calling was in tailoring.

“I used to ask myself, ‘How can someone work with their hands for years and make a living, but not be officially recognized?’ Today I’m proud because RPL has shown me that practical skills have value. I plan to establish my own company that operates legally and professionally, I’m no longer afraid,”. Theopiste Mukamurenzi Said

Daniel Nshimiyimana, Chairperson of the Rwanda Tailors Association (RTA), said the program is a major step toward restoring the dignity of skills acquired through practical experience.

“For a long time, many people with talent and vocational skills were not valued because they lacked formal certificates. The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program is helping us address that challenge. Anyone with practical knowledge can now prove their competence in an official way, which opens doors for job creation and professional growth,”. Daniel Nshimiyimana, RTA Chairperson said

Williams Buningwire, Spokesperson of the Private Sector Federation (PSF), emphasized that such training programs inject fresh energy and innovation into Rwanda’s private sector.

“When people are trained like this in any profession, they become a new force within the private sector. It’s new knowledge and expertise that the country gains, which is essential for economic growth. These individuals are like fresh blood in business, bringing creativity and renewed passion to their work,”. Buningwire Williams said

In this latest round, all 193 tailors who sat for the RPL assessment passed and were awarded certificates recognized by the government.
In the first phase, conducted in 2024, 800 tailors took part and 763 passed.
This means that across the two cohorts, a total of 956 tailors have now been certified under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program.

The RPL program continues to demonstrate Rwanda’s commitment to valuing practical knowledge and work-based skills. For beneficiaries like these tailors, it represents a new path toward professional recognition, self-confidence, and broader career opportunities.

Tailors from across Rwanda proudly display their certificates after completing the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment, officially joining the ranks of certified professionals

After 20 years in the tailoring profession, Mukangango Delice known as “Furaha” says her new RPL certificate will help her open a tailoring school and reach international markets.

Daniel Nshimiyimana, Chairperson of the Rwanda Tailors Association, says RPL restores dignity to hands-on skills and creates new opportunities for job creation