For the 9 to 5 workers, a regular corporate day at the office involves wandering in the world of emails, reports, feedback and overtime to make do.
The occupation that once allowed the older generation to free up and find solace out of the relenting weekly routine to hang out, enjoy weekend barbecues, and find easily plated communities and friendships, now sees the youth flooded by doom scrolling, night drinking and a constant bombardment of TikTok trends.
The difference — not so much in the activities but in their efficiency — is rooted in our parents’ and elders’ ability to easily surf the offline field and make lasting relationships with their co-workers, business partners and their dogs.
Unfortunately for young professionals, the tides have increasingly become hammer and tongs. In truth, the realities of today’s workplace have taken on a far more complex attitude. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, everything has gone digital.
Whether for connection, communication, or distraction; if you can think of it, the youngsters will show you an app for it. And even though this plays a tremendous role in where the world is heading, young professionals find it hard to grow career-wise.
It takes them twice as hard to find their peers, connect and potentially find new opportunities. On top of that, what used to be efficient networking events dissipated in Rwanda due to the digitalization of resources and tools.
Hence, leaving the seeking youthful blood into a hectic phase of trivial work. And if you’re like me – cornered between four walls daily – you might also want to vent, to get inspired, or get a hug from people who understand you.
Two reasons can explain this fading away. One, a lack of networking events in the country. And two, well, who’s to say the young employees even want to network at all?
The corporate arena is stressful as it is already, so why add the pressure of perfuming yourself, putting on a suit, and scouting the internet for a dignifying source of
managers and directors to mingle?
To convince and entice you of the positivity of networking, three friends, Chris Aldo Mugisha, Rosette Umuhoza, and Jo Grace Munyangaju, incepted the idea of creating spaces for creatives and young professionals to meet up, learn about each other and have meaningful relationships.
While basking in the ambience and jazzy calmness of one coffee shop, the kind
of place these friends love sharing every week, they thought, “This place would
be nice to bring our friends together to have fun and socialize,” said Chris Aldo,
one of the co-founders.
The place, in theory, would be any area that resonated a cozy, welcoming arena of thoughts and would act the same to the target market they had in mind: People of a similar age range.
“Rwandans are naturally reserved and prefer to stay in their comfort zone,” said Jo Grace, “And with all the challenges young Rwandans face, we wanted to come up with something of true value to help counter that.”
And so, less than a week later, they had their first networking event. The group explained that on 14th December 2023, they had agreed to invite ten people each, and what was a twenty or so expected turnout became an over sixty successes at Indabo Cafe in Kiyovu. People showed out, an achievement that solidified their resolve and showed conclusively that their newfound passion would not be in vain.
Chris Aldo told me as we sat in a cafe, “We plan to create a community not attached to activities like sports or churches, but to link the employed youth without challenges or frivolities such as business cards. Places where people can discuss the matters of their workspace, maybe vent, and everyone leaves having learnt something that could change the way they work or realizing somethings are indeed possible to pursue.”
At the time of writing, there have been two of these events that the creators collectively agreed should take place every quarter. Perhaps, they wish to stay faithful to the corporate liturgy.
Confidently attuned, the group touched on the true nature of their mission to facilitate young professionals’ ability and opportunities to find their peers and feel relaxed around them. A feat that they thought would be efficient if they distanced themselves from regular networking events go-to’.
Intently, as Rosette Muhoza affirmed, “We don’t want to be viewed as a networking event company. What we’re trying to achieve is far more encompassing. We are thinking of not always having our events be meetups. Sometimes they could be in the form of art exhibitions or concerts, with no strict attire. People could come wearing shorts, work suits, or other casual garbs.”
The promiscuous fight against being referred to as people who organize networking events comes fondly suiting against the general census that finds the youth often reluctant to join such events because they require a lot mentally and physically. Instead, if you attract them with feasts, they enjoy, they will socialize with each other
organically. This is the ultimate treat that these friends bring to the table.
Jo-Grace added, “That’s why we choose coffee shops or other small event spaces to hold our social events. We don’t want places with a vibe attuned to them, like hotels or clubs. Or to facilitate drinking or partying beyond the initial socializing.
Their pursuit finds its stronghold in eluding focused conversations solely on work.
For them, a job is not all a person is, especially with young people who increasingly put their happiness and freedom above the formula of a full-time job.
“People could learn a thing or two about the personal lives of the peers in front of them, which would then serve to create a community where people truly understand each other instead of having surface level information,” said Rosette Muhoza.
In a fast-paced digital world where anyone can get lost in the trenches of the internet, Rwandans are bringing solutions for the white-collar worker to be part of something big. To feel included. In its way, the HAMWE initiative, from these passionate souls, raves to rebalance the working community in this landlocked country.
“The workplace has changed now. It’s more hybrid, and employees are more demanding and careful with their time and mental health. What we’re bringing to the table is to facilitate the realities of this new corporate world,” said Chris Aldo.
There’s a long way from achieving total acclamation and participation of the young Rwandan community in believing in networking and collaborating with like-minded fellows who often go through similar renditions of the same workplace issues. But perhaps it starts with “Chilling together” in calm and inviting spaces and feeling understood.
To have a group of people even remotely care about the state of the corporate arena and the people dwelling in it announces to the ear that perhaps the youth is not lost.
And that as the Rwandan culture prevails in them—they want change and growth in their careers as they do in their personal lives. Because, now more than ever, those things are intertwined.
