First Lady Jeannette Kagame has urged young people to recognize that academic qualifications, professional skills and career achievements alone are not enough to build strong families and become effective leaders. She made the remarks on September 6, 2026, during the Young Leaders Prayer Breakfast, an annual gathering that brings together young leaders from different sectors to pray for Rwanda and reflect on the country’s future. Jeannette Kagame said many young people are highly focused on education, careers and financial goals while overlooking the importance of building stable families. S

First Lady Jeannette Kagame has urged young people to recognize that academic qualifications, professional skills and career achievements alone are not enough to build strong families and become effective leaders. She made the remarks on September 6, 2026, during the Young Leaders Prayer Breakfast, an annual gathering that brings together young leaders from different sectors to pray for Rwanda and reflect on the country’s future. Jeannette Kagame said many young people are highly focused on education, careers and financial goals while overlooking the importance of building stable families. She noted that marriage is increasingly viewed as something that can be postponed until one has completed studies, secured a good job and settled financial obligations. She also highlighted changing patterns in relationships, including the growing use of terms such as “situationship,” arguing that young people need guidance to understand commitment, responsibility and healthy relationships. The First Lady acknowledged Rwanda’s decision to trust young people with leadership responsibilities, saying such trust is often based on education, critical thinking, experience and values. However, she questioned whether enough attention is being given to helping young people develop emotionally, socially and morally. She stressed that intelligence and professional competence may help someone excel at work, but they do not automatically prepare a person to maintain a healthy marriage, raise children or protect family unity during difficult times. “If a strong family is the foundation on which a country is built, the responsibility of young people is to strengthen that foundation, beginning in our own homes,” she said. Rwanda Leaders Fellowship Director-General Moses Ndahiro similarly called on parents to prioritize their children despite demanding careers and leadership responsibilities. He emphasized that raising a child requires time, love, patience and guidance. He said children may forget material gifts, but they are unlikely to forget the time, attention and love given to them by their parents.

Jeannette Kagame has reminded young people that academic and professional excellence alone is not enough to build strong families and healthy homes.

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