Germaine Uzayisenga

Germaine Uzayisenga is a Cohort 4 Umholi we Africa Fellow, currently serving as Special Advisor to the Permanent Secretary of Rwanda’s Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF). In this role, she supports strategic coordination, stakeholder engagement, and initiatives advancing gender equality, family resilience, and inclusive policy implementation, contributing to Rwanda’s broader national transformation agenda. 

A climate, gender, and community development practitioner, Germaine has more than five years of experience advancing inclusive development, women’s empowerment, and community resilience in Rwanda and across Africa. Her work has taken her across Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria, where she has collaborated with government institutions, local authorities, and international partners on evidence-based and gender-responsive initiatives. 

Germaine is particularly interested in strengthening the connection between public policy and the realities of communities, ensuring that development strategies are not only ambitious but also responsive to the people they are designed to serve. Her approach combines community-centred thinking with a strong commitment to sustainable and inclusive development. 

A Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, Germaine brings an international perspective to her work while remaining deeply committed to Rwanda’s development priorities. 

Through her fellowship and public service, she is contributing to efforts that place women, families, and communities at the centre of Rwanda’s transformation, while championing approaches that promote resilience, equity, and meaningful participation in development. 

Germaine is passionate about building people-centred institutions and policies that advance gender equality and create lasting, inclusive impact across Rwanda and the African continent.