Two Young Rwandans Honoured with QECT 100 Young Leaders Awards as Rwanda UK Week Opens
Two young Rwandans, Regine Ingabire and Olivier Niyonkuru, have been recognized among the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust (QECT) 100 Young Leaders Awardees 2026, with their awards officially presented during the launch of Rwanda UK Week at Gahanga Cricket Stadium on June 14.
The awards were handed over by Alison Thorpe, British High Commissioner to Rwanda, on behalf of King Charles III, recognizing the pair’s outstanding contributions to agriculture and community health.
The QECT 100 Young Leaders Award celebrates young people across Commonwealth countries who are using innovation, leadership and community action to address social and economic challenges.
Speaking during the ceremony, Thorpe said the award was established by the late Queen Elizabeth II to champion young leaders driving positive change in their communities.
“This year is particularly special as it marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, a leader who deeply believed in the power of young people to shape a better future,” she said.
According to Thorpe, the awardees were selected through a highly competitive process involving thousands of applications from across the Commonwealth.
“The award is not simply a recognition of achievement. It provides a platform to amplify the work of outstanding young people and connect them to networks, skills and support needed to grow their impact further,” she added.
Regine Ingabire, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Green Grow Organics, was recognized for her work developing organic foliar fertilizers aimed at helping smallholder farmers improve productivity while reducing dependence on costly chemical inputs.
Her company produces plant-based fertilizers using locally available materials and focuses on supporting farmers growing crops such as potatoes and tomatoes.
Speaking after receiving the award, Ingabire said the idea was inspired by challenges she observed among farmers struggling to afford agricultural inputs.
She said, “So that business came after recognizing a serious problem in Kenya, where I was doing my Masters, and also in Musanze District, where I live, where the farmer was struggling to grow plants because the inputs, mostly inorganic fertilizer, were expensive.”
“The award means a lot because it recognizes the impact we are making in the community and connects us with other stakeholders who share the vision of creating a more sustainable future,” she added.
Ingabire revealed that Green Grow Organics is currently conducting laboratory testing and field demonstrations ahead of the planned launch of its first commercial product later this year.
Thorpe noted that Ingabire’s innovation has shown promising results in improving agricultural productivity and supporting food security among smallholder farmers.
The second award recipient, Olivier Niyonkuru, was recognized for founding Rwamagana Car Free Day, a community health initiative focused on screening and raising awareness about non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Niyonkuru, a recent graduate of the University of Rwanda and president of the Nursing Research Club, said the recognition affirmed the value of the work his team has been carrying out.
“I feel grateful because the impact we have been making in the community has been recognized,” he said.
Launched in 2024, the initiative works in partnership with Rwamagana District, Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) and Rwamagana District Hospital to provide free screening services for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to Niyonkuru, the program has already screened more than 10,000 people and continues to expand its reach.
When individuals are identified as being at risk, they are referred to health facilities for further diagnosis and treatment.
Thorpe praised the initiative for addressing one of the world’s most pressing public health challenges through prevention and early detection.
The awards ceremony coincided with the opening of Rwanda UK Week, a series of events organized by the British Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda to promote trade, investment and cultural exchanges between Rwanda and the United Kingdom.
Joanna Nicholas, Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda, said the week-long program is designed to showcase business opportunities between the two countries.
Activities include discussions on sports business, exporting products to the UK market, agricultural trade, entrepreneurship and cultural exchange.
“The objective is to increase trade between Rwanda and the UK in both directions while exposing entrepreneurs to new opportunities and ideas,” Nicholas said.
The British Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda was established in late 2025 and aims to support both international investors seeking opportunities in Rwanda and Rwandan businesses looking to expand into the UK market.
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