12 Years. 40,000 Lives. One Mission.
When Resonate began in 2013, it was rooted in a simple but powerful belief: that confidence and a shift in mindset can unlock the potential of women and girls. The vision was to create spaces where women could recognize their own worth, claim their stories, and step into their power. That first year, just 53 participants took part in our workshops. It was a humble beginning—but one that laid the foundation for a deeply transformative journey.
Twelve years later, Resonate has reached over 40,000 women and girls across East Africa. The numbers trace our journey – from 53 to over 5,000 participants each year—but the real story lives in the women behind those numbers. Women who chose courage over doubt, action over hesitation, and leadership over silence.
Mutesi, a 23-year-old from Nyabihu district, a graduate of our Gira Ubushobozi program, once doubted her ability to build a future. She lacked confidence and did not see herself as someone capable of building a career, setting or achieving long-term goals.
Everything changed after attending Resonate’s workshop. She was inspired during the goal-setting session to create a plan for her future and commit to becoming self-reliant. Mutesi began to believe in herself. She applied for an internship she never would have considered before, secured it, excelled, and was offered a job. With focus and determination, she saved her earnings and went on to open her own beauty salon.
Today, Mutesi is a business owner employing three others, proving that when women believe in themselves, they don’t just change their own lives—they uplift their communities. Watch more stories like hers here.
Stories like Mutesi’s illustrate a core truth about our work: when women and girls learn to name their strengths and believe in themselves, they start seeing themselves as change-makers in their lives. They begin to see themselves as leaders. This is not just motivation, it’s identity. And once identity shifts, opportunity follows.
The Impact Speaks for Itself
Our growth has been steady and intentional, grounded in listening to the women we serve and adapting to their realities. The outcomes reflect a clear pattern that internal transformation consistently leads to external change.
61% started businesses or income-generating activities
71% reported an increase in their income
86% of students under the teen pregnancy prevention program reported an increase in their academic performance
100% joined Resonate’s alumni groups
Behind every one of those percentages is a turning point—a woman who spoke up for the first time, a teen mother who decided to return to school, a participant who finally applied for the job she had always talked herself out of. These are not just numbers; they are moments of reclaiming possibility.
Building Impact Through Partnership
None of this happens alone. What began with a handful of partners has grown into a network of more than 120 across Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and DRC. Government partners help us scale in alignment with national priorities. NGOs, community organizations, and private sector allies integrate our programs into their existing initiatives. Together, we ensure that women not only receive technical skills, but also the inner confidence to use them.
These partnerships are built on shared values, mutual learning, and a commitment to centering women’s real experiences.
A Story Worth Telling
When Resonate began, the story was about potential. Today, it is about proof. Participants have become storytellers themselves, leaders, advocates, entrepreneurs, and community shapers. Resonate’s story is now woven through theirs.
The message is simple and enduring: leadership already exists in every woman and girl. Sometimes all she needs is the space, tools, and confidence to recognize it.
Looking to the Future
The work is far from finished. There are new communities to reach, more barriers to break, and countless girls who still need to hear that their voice matters. Our next chapter includes expanding from eight districts to all 30 districts in Rwanda, deepening work in the region, and embedding leadership development into national systems. We envision a future where the young women we trained a decade ago lead their own initiatives, mentor the next generation, and spark change that continues long after a single workshop ends.
Because when a woman believes in herself, she transforms not only her own life, but also shifts the norms of her entire community.
To every woman who has dared to trust her voice, every partner who has walked with us, and every supporter who believes in this mission: THANK YOU. This milestone belongs to all of us.
Here’s to the next chapter of transformation and to every story still waiting to be told.