The Rwandan community in the German-speaking region of Switzerland hosted Ambassador Urujeni Bakuramutsa and the Embassy team in Zurich for an interactive exchange on current and upcoming diaspora-led initiatives and the community’s contribution to Rwanda’s development. 

Community representatives expressed appreciation for the Embassy’s continued engagement, noting the presence of members eager to invest in Rwanda and contribute to national development efforts. They emphasized that the visit came at a timely moment to strengthen mobilisation and reinforce community cohesion. 

The discussions highlighted an innovative community-based therapy initiative presented by Dr. Celestin Mutuyimana, a lecturer at the University of Zurich. Drawing on extensive research conducted with international partners, he shared findings on the long-term impacts of collective trauma and outlined his work to advance culturally sensitive mental health services, including through the Baho Smile Institute and a digital platform currently connecting Rwandans in 57 countries. 

Participants also heard from Ms. Josephine Niyikiza, who presented her TVET-focused projects supporting youth skills development in Kigali and her broader philanthropic initiatives in Karongi District. Her contributions include school infrastructure support, Mutuelle de Santé coverage for vulnerable families, and vocational training programs in hairdressing and sewing. She expressed her ambition to expand these efforts by establishing a new training facility in Kicukiro. 

The exchange further explored emerging opportunities in fintech and virtual assets, as well as the importance of strengthening Kinyarwanda language transmission among children and maintaining active connections with Rwanda. Participants also proposed organising a future community-wide event to support ongoing education initiatives in Karongi. 

Ambassador Bakuramutsa commended the community’s commitment and reaffirmed the Embassy’s readiness to support diaspora projects that advance Rwanda’s development. The meeting concluded with a networking session, underscoring the shared determination to reinforce unity, preserve Rwandan values, and deliver concrete results together.