Project Summary

Mucho Connect is a Rwanda-based initiative training and certifying informal construction workers to access better jobs, higher pay, and formal opportunities in the high-demand building sector. Founded by Edouard Abayisenga Cyuzuzo (civil engineer, certified professional technologist, 8+ years managing construction at EarthEnable including supervising 200+ workers, former informal mason) and co-founder Francine Uwamahoro (business development and construction networks specialist), the project bridges the skills-certification gap for informal technicians in masonry and electrical trades. With proven experience building training systems for hundreds of workers and pre-interest from three construction companies eager to hire certified graduates, we are launching a pilot to demonstrate a scalable, impactful model.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them? Our Year 1 pilot goals are:

• Train and certify 30-50 informal workers (targeting 50%+ certification rate).

• Demonstrate clear economic impact: at least 3x average income increase for certified participants.

• Generate rigorous proof-of-concept data (job placements, income growth, employer satisfaction) to raise a $500K seed round for national expansion.

We will achieve this by: renting a small workshop space in Kigali (weekends initially, expanding as needed), running two parallel 12-week evening/weekend programs in masonry and electrical (highest-demand trades), delivering hands-on classes led by experienced instructors, covering certification exams, providing tools/materials/subsidies where needed, actively recruiting via field outreach and community networks, and systematically tracking outcomes post-training. Success in the pilot unlocks larger funding and positions Mucho Connect for self-sustainability by Year 3.

How will this funding be used? This Manifund raise targets $3,500 (minimum, single-trade pilot) to $10,000 (maximum, both trades) as working capital for the pilot launch. Minimum ($3,500 – one trade, ~15 technicians): $1,500 workshop rent (3 months), $800 tools/materials, $600 part-time master instructor, $400 certification fees, $200 marketing/recruitment. Maximum ($10,000 – two trades, ~50 technicians): $3,500 workshop rent (6 months), $2,500 tools/equipment (masonry + electrical), $2,000 two part-time instructors/assessors, $1,200 certification fees, $500 technician subsidies (tools/transport), $300 marketing/field recruitment. All funds go directly to execution; we commit to full transparency.

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

• Edouard Abayisenga Cyuzuzo (Founder): Civil engineer and Certified Professional Technologist with 8 years in construction operations at EarthEnable (Rwanda), where he managed 200+ workers and built internal training systems. He has firsthand experience as a former informal mason and deeply understands the barriers informal workers face.

• Francine Uwamahoro (Co-Founder): Expert in business development, community partnerships, and Rwanda's construction sector networks, enabling strong recruitment and employer connections.

Track record: Combined 8+ years in construction management and operations; successfully trained systems for 200+ workers; secured letters of interest/pre-commitments from 3 construction companies ready to hire certified technicians. This is our first formal fundraiser (previously bootstrapped with personal savings), but our operational experience and employer buy-in provide a strong foundation.

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails? Likely risks and mitigations:

• Low enrollment → Aggressive field assessments, free tools/transport subsidies, job placement guarantees.

• Low certification pass rates → Highly experienced instructors, abundant practice materials, remedial support.

• Employers not hiring graduates → Secured pre-commitments from 3 companies; ongoing employer engagement.

• Budget/space constraints → Fallback to outdoor/shared spaces or smaller cohorts.

Even in complete failure: 15-30 workers still receive valuable skills training, we gain critical learning on model adjustments, established partnerships and curriculum can benefit other organizations, and insights strengthen future attempts. Best case: 85%+ certification rate, 2-3x income gains, full hiring by partner companies, compelling data that attracts $500K+ seed funding and accelerates scale-up.

Prior Funding / Additional Notes Total raised to date: $0 (fully bootstrapped with personal savings; no prior grants, investors, or accelerators). This modest pilot ask ($3.5K–$10K) is designed purely to prove the model before pursuing larger rounds. We pledge monthly updates to supporters, full public sharing of outcome data (successes and challenges), and complete transparency throughout.