When Jean Michel Habineza alongside Teta Christine, and Alex Kambanda, started iDebate Rwanda in 2012, the vision was clear: to mould young minds into articulate, informed, and confident individuals ready to make a mark in the world.
Twelve years later, iDebate has not only grown to enhance the critical thinking and public speaking abilities of these young people, but also instils confidence, fosters a culture of reading, and prepares them to represent Rwanda on the global stage.
Like every great initiative, iDebate has an interesting backstory. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s in Social Entrepreneurship, and participating in several debate competitions, including being part of the US debate team, Habineza learned to communicate effectively and acquired leadership skills. He then began teaching students to express their thoughts and voice their opinions in a society that often forces them to keep quiet.
“My life’s question is, ‘how do we live together?’” Habineza told SENS in an interview. “Every time I took a break, I would train young people on various topics. We wanted to create a platform for Rwandan high school students to access 21st-century skills. That’s when Teta, Alex, and I came up with the idea of building a debate program in Rwanda.” So, Teta came up with the name ‘iDebate’ because they believed that debate could bring about that change.
Before this, there were no debate programs, just one-time events organized by Never Again Rwanda and ULDP.
“In Rwanda, the debate culture is still new and hasn’t yet taken root in many schools,” says Urukundo Angelo, Programs Manager. “As a result, maintaining steady participation in monthly debate competitions is challenging,” he added.
To address this, they’ve established a debate club network, which is still in its early stages, to promote a debate culture in schools. The club focuses on kids from very poor backgrounds, often referred to as ‘the Ghetto.’
These kids are coached on how to make arguments, speak for themselves, and be confident. Most of the program participants are secondary school students, and they engage them in important topics affecting the world. This helps them become actively involved in their communities rather than passively participating.
“I was privileged to be part of the debating club, which I later led,” says Diane Mukundwa, a student leader at Lycée de Rusumo. “Being a part of this club really impacted my student journey by increasing my ability to build and manage my fellow members in a debate club,” she added.
“It also shaped my understanding of the course content and improved my academic performance.”
Moreover, they run a Teachers’ Debate Institute to train teachers in debate and public speaking skills, so they can incorporate these into their teaching.
Benjamin Nsengiyumva, a teacher at Lycée Saint Marcel, says that “Extracurricular activities like debates are now a necessity. They impact the teaching career because some content needs a debate approach and classroom engagement.
The impact on students is seen in their participation and academic performance. There’s a big difference between students who participate in debates and those who don’t, especially in mastering the English language.”
They also involve the local community through public debate events, monthly competitions, corporate training, and collaborations with schools and partner organizations.
Students and schools are engaged through debate competitions, debate club coaching, and their Teachers’ Debate Institute.
Parents are involved through holiday and summer programs like Dreamers Academy Camp for high school students and the Rising Voices program for primary school students.
Every year, they theme their debates on Sustainable Development Goals to get students involved in global change.
As Rwanda is still healing from its history, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, they discuss topics like peacebuilding and reconciliation, human rights and social justice, and education systems in Rwanda and the world.
“We also aim to balance education with fun, making sure their reward ceremonies at competitions are filled with dancing and music,” says Regine Niyorukundo, Volunteers Program Coordinator.
“Our theme song for winners is ‘All I Do Is Win’ by DJ Khaled, and everyone enjoys celebrating it. We also host ‘I Eat’ every year, a day to appreciate the work done by the volunteers and staff. It’s always exciting to gather around, network, play games, sing throwbacks, and enjoy meals together as a family.”
This year, iDebate has expanded their programs to all the provinces, bringing them closer to their goal of reaching every secondary school and region.
“This achievement gives us great hope, and we’re thrilled to announce the 9th EDITION of the Dreamers Academy Camp,” explained Ornella Ikirezi, Dreamers Academy Coordinator.”
The first session will take place from August 11th to 21st for beginners, and the second session will be held from August 25th to September 4th for seniors at Hope Haven Christian Secondary School.”
The residential camp lasts for 10 days, where students can enhance their debate and public speaking skills and receive extra lessons to guide their career development.
They are also running a campaign to support students from vulnerable communities, ensuring they can benefit from this incredible opportunity.
“The question we have been asked before is, what advice would you provide to someone who wants to learn how to not be blind to society’s activities yet is unable to deal with it without turning to physical or verbal violence?” said Shema Hakidu Nsimbi, National Leagues Coordinator.
“There is only one thing to do: the key is to develop critical thinking and communication skills. By learning to express thoughts clearly and listen to others, we can create an environment where complex issues are resolved through genuine conversations and brainstorming.”
