Kwihaza Champions Fellowship – Expression of Interest (EoI)

• About the Kwihaza Project

The Kwihaza Project is a project supporting the transformation of Rwanda’s food systems, with a strong focus on aquaculture and horticulture. The project is funded by European Union and the Government of Luxembourg, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI).

Kwihaza works to sustainably increase the production, consumption, and income generated from fish and horticulture products, while creating decent jobs, particularly for youth and women. The project recognizes that cooperatives, SMEs, and young entrepreneurs are critical drivers of food security and economic growth but often face persistent barriers such as post‑harvest losses, inadequate equipment, weak market access, and limited financing. As a means to deal with some of these challenges, Kwihaza places strong emphasis on practical, enterprise level support. Across Rwanda, the project supports agribusinesses operating in production, processing, aggregation, logistics, and distribution within priority value chains: fish, tomatoes, onions, passion fruit, and avocados.

It is within this framework that the Kwihaza Champions Fellowship was created.

Kindly send your application by June 10th 2026

• About the Fellowship

The Kwihaza Champions Fellowship is a six‑month, hands‑on program designed to help high‑potential youth‑ and women‑led agribusinesses move from ideas, trials, or small‑scale operations into stable, market‑ready enterprises.

The fellowship focuses on building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), a product that can be produced consistently, stored safely, delivered reliably, and sold to real buyers at a profit. This is not a traditional classroom program. The support will be practical, tailored, and grounded in the daily realities of running an agribusiness.

2.1 Who Should Apply

This fellowship is designed for:

• Youth entrepreneurs (ages 16–35) and women‑led businesses
• Applicants with a clear product idea, prototype, or early customers (even if still informal)
• Entrepreneurs who are ready to improve product quality, mainstream operations, and meet market requirements
• Businesses active within the aquaculture, fisheries or horticulture (avocadoes, passion fruits, onions and tomatoes)

You do not need advanced systems or large revenues to apply. What matters most is potential, commitment, and readiness to grow within six months.

• What Challenge This Fellowship Addresses

Many promising agribusinesses struggle to scale because they lack:

• Proper tools and equipment for scale
• Consistent product quality that buyers trust
• Clear pricing, cost control, and cash‑flow management
• Access to reliable buyers and market channels
• Support to meet basic hygiene and food‑safety requirements

The Kwihaza Champions Fellowship is designed to directly address these practical barriers.

• What Selected Applicants Will Get

Selected Champions receive structured, milestone‑based support, including:

1. Direct Productive Equipment Support (Core Fellowship Benefit)

Champions receive essential business equipment required to meet MVP standards. This support is:

• Tailored to each enterprise’s real needs
• Provided directly (not cash, not loans)
• Released against milestones to ensure effective use

Equipment may include:

• Freezers or cold‑storage units
• Insulated transport boxes and cold‑chain containers
• Basic processing and handling tools
• Other small but critical equipment needed for primary production, safe storage, processing, and delivery

This equipment support is a central feature of the fellowship and enables entrepreneurs to reduce losses, meet buyer requirements, and operate consistently.

In line with Kwihaza’s existing partnerships the following additional support will be provided to the beneficiaries, tailored to each business needs: 

2. Hands‑On Technical Coaching

• Processing and handling practices
• Hygiene, food safety, and quality control
• Cold‑chain management and loss reduction
• Building simple, repeatable production routines

3. Practical Business Coaching

• Pricing and cost calculation
• Understanding margins and unit economics
• Cash‑flow and working‑capital control
• Simple record‑keeping and business discipline

4. Real Market Access

• Direct introductions to restaurants, traders, retailers, and processors
• Support to negotiate prices, volumes, and delivery terms
• Help moving from one‑off sales to recurring buyers

5. Compliance and Legitimacy Support

• Guidance on registration and hygiene approvals
• Simple traceability and food‑safety practices required by markets

6. Exposure and Growth Opportunities

• Participation in demo days and pitch events
• Visibility to partners and potential financiers after MVP readiness

• Key Focus Value Chains

• Aquaculture and fisheries: fisheries, fish production, processing, and aggregation
• Horticulture: tomatoes, onions, passion fruit, and avocados

• Call to Action

If you are a serious entrepreneur ready to grow your agribusiness with the support of coaching, real buyers, and essential equipment, this fellowship is designed for you.

Prepare your application and apply by visiting https://forms.office.com/e/QRDG2iQnPh

Join the Kwihaza Champions Fellowship and move from idea to market with the tools, equipment, and support needed to succeed.