Gilbert Rwabigwi is a Rwandan social innovator and writer who specialises in

literacy Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...

strategy Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art ...

writing Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically Epigraphy, inscribed, Printing press, mechanically transferred, or Word processor, digitally represented Symbols (semiot ...

and

progress Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension wi ...

. He is the founder of Youth Literacy Organisation (YouLI), a non-profit NGO whose mission is to foster literacy and

learning Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, value (personal and cultural), values, attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals, and some machine learning, machines ...

as a lifelong process. Rwabigwi the founding editor of The Kigalian, an online magazine for independent-minded writers and storytellers. He is also in Ejo Group, a social enterprise that specialises in media and

content marketing Content marketing is a form of marketing focused on creating, publishing, and distributing content for a targeted audience online. It is often used by businesses in order to achieve the following goals: attract attention and generate leads, exp ...

Writing and influence

Rwabigwi publishes articles regularly on The Kigalian, an independent-minded sources of ideas, stories, and profiles by writers looking to the future in

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

. He is also among top Rwandan influencers on Twitter and speaks at several events on issues about education, literacy, social media and culture. In 2016, Rwabigwi joined the panel of judges in

Miss Rwanda Miss Rwanda is a national beauty pageant in Rwanda. In May 2022, it was reported that the pageant was suspended due to the arrest of Dieudone Ishimwe popularly known as Prince Kid, the CEO of Rwanda Inspiration Backup — the organizer of Miss R ...

as a judge at the grand finale. He announced his departure a few days ahead of the first auditions of

Miss Rwanda 2019 Miss (pronounced ) is an English language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as "Doctor" or "Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century, it ...

Birth and Parents

Gilbert was born in

Kigali Kigali () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwa ...

. His father, Fulgence Bukaka, and mother, Alphonsine Mukahigiro, were killed during the

Rwandan genocide The Rwandan genocide occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu ...

in 1994.

Education and Activism

Rwabigwi was raised in Kigali, with his brothers and sisters; went to Camp Kigali Primary School and Ecole Primaire l'Horizon for his primary education. He went to

Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare The Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare (GSOB) Indatwa n’inkesha, also known as the Indatwa n'Inkesha School, is a historic secondary school in Huye District in Butare (formerly Astrida), Rwanda. As well as being the oldest secondary school in the ...

(GSOB), then Groupe Scolaire Kigombe (GSK) for his secondary education. Gilbert studied at the School of

Journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

and

Communication Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

National University of Rwanda The National University of Rwanda (NUR; rw, Kaminuza nkuru y’u Rwanda, french: Université nationale du Rwanda, UNR) was the largest university in Rwanda. It was located at in the city of Butare and was established in 1963 by the government ...

(NUR). Rwabigwi is a respected advocate for writing and publishing in Rwanda. He is the author of "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: A Collection of Poems on Genocide", first published in 2008. In 2011, he was featured on the top of a list of top 10 most important Rwandan artists to know.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rwabigwi, Gilbert Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Rwandan bloggers Genocide survivors Social entrepreneurs