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This summer, Rwanda Coding Academy was certainly not resting. Year 2 students Umuhire Liza Belinda and Hashimweyesu Jean de Dieu, alongside Year 3 students Darius Niyonkuru and Nkunda Isabella, were selected to represent Rwanda at Youth Ambassadors Africa (YA-Africa), a fully funded, three-week exchange program run by Project Harmony International in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. From July 8 to July 30, 2026, they joined fellow young leaders from Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles, Namibia, Guinea, Botswana, Cabo Verde, and South Africa as part of an 88-student cohort drawn from ten countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Selection was competitive, weighing academic performance, leadership experience, community involvement, and English communication skills. Of the seven Rwandan ambassadors ultimately chosen, four came from Rwanda Coding Academy. This reflects the Academy’s emphasis on producing students who combine technical skill with leadership and the ability to speak for their country on a global stage. Before departure, the ambassadors attended orientation sessions on program expectations, travel logistics, and cultural preparation, arriving in the United States ready to introduce audiences to Rwanda’s history, governance, the Umuganda tradition, its cuisine, and the Vision 2050 agenda.
The 88 students were split into three travel groups—A, B, and C—each following its own version of the same itinerary. Darius and Liza Belinda traveled with Group A; Isabella and Jean de Dieu traveled with Group C. The program itself was built on a simple premise: young people are current contributors to development, not merely future ones. Over three weeks, groups moved between four American cities, threading together leadership training, civic engagement, cross-cultural exchange, and community service. It began in Washington, D.C., with orientation and a tour of the U.S. Capitol and National Mall, before branching out to Burlington, Vermont, for life with host families and time with the Vermont State Youth Council; to Birmingham, Alabama, where the program turned toward civil rights history and adaptive-sports leadership; and to Brooklyn, New York, for an intensive week spent turning everything learned into concrete plans for home. Three weeks after it began, the cohort closed the loop with a final ceremony back in Washington.
As a member of Group A, Darius carries the trip differently in every state he passed through:
"The program left me with inspiration, connections with strong people like the Mayor of Birmingham and others, friendships, and a more open-minded perspective on life. Each state stayed with me in its own way."
"From Vermont, I was inspired by the Vermont Youth Council and how they are still young but already so responsible. I gained more wisdom from them, showing me that age is just a number. In the same state, I was also with my host family, whom I always miss. We spent six days together, sharing cultures as they showed me more about the USA."
"Alabama was the most inspiring state for me. I got a chance to talk face-to-face with one of the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement, Ruby Shuttlesworth Bester, at Bethel Baptist Church. She said, ‘Never let anyone tell you that you can’t; let them know that you can.’ This was my main takeaway throughout the entire journey."
"New York was the best in terms of adventure. In Times Square, shopping, and exploring, they also taught us about problem analysis: if we want to bring real change to society, we have to fall in love with the problem, not the solution. We learned how to go deeper into a problem to find the right solution, which is a very important skill for us as developers of technological solutions."
As a member of Group C, Isabella came home carrying something quieter, but no less lasting:
"Youth Ambassadors Africa gave me three weeks that shifted how I see everything. Sitting through the action-planning workshops taught me to slow down and actually think a problem through before rushing to fix it. Living with a host family in Vermont let me experience daily American life from the inside, not just visit it, and it made me miss home while also seeing pieces of it in a completely different place. Nothing prepared me for meeting Ruby Shuttlesworth Bester at Bethel Baptist Church. Hearing her speak about growing up Black in Birmingham during the civil rights era, in a church that had been bombed three times, is something I’m still processing. At the Lakeshore Foundation, talking with a Paralympian on staff changed how I think about accessibility—I’d never considered how much intention goes into something as small as the height of a stair. I came home with new friends from across the continent, a lot more confidence, and a real sense that I owe it to my community to build something with what I learned."
By the end of the three weeks, every ambassador came home with more than memories. They returned inspired and more open-minded. From the start, the program’s aim was always the same: to send young Rwandans back with leadership skills, civic understanding, and concrete plans to create change where they live,in school clubs, youth councils, and mentorship circles,carrying forward everything this exchange gave them. I hope this inspires every young developer out there: connecting with and experiencing other cultures is an important part of the journey. Hopefully, next time it will be you, dear reader!