Photo by Mikhail Nilov
Building a first-of-its-kind Rwanda-to-Germany refugee mobility pathway required careful design choices across multiple partners, regulatory environments, and uncertain terrain. Through six months of research, workshops, and field visits, LaMP defined mission-critical elements and equipped partners with decision-making tools.
Below are three critical design considerations that shaped this pilot.
1. Ausbildung vs. Direct Employment
LaMP and our partners initially aimed to test both apprenticeship (Ausbildung) and direct employment tracks. Each model carries distinct trade-offs: apprenticeships offer quicker employer buy-in but longer ISA repayment horizons (up to 4 years), while direct employment promises higher ROI and greater scalability but requires stronger confidence in training quality and credential verification.
| Pathway | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Apprenticeship | • Easier employer buy-in • Previous Malengo experience (Kenya-Germany) |
• 4-year timeline reduces ISA ROI • High language investment, uncertain outcome |
| Direct Employment | • Higher ROI (1-2 years to repayment) • Larger scale potential • Some roles don’t require German |
• Harder to build employer trust • Limited qualified refugees • No Rwanda-Germany credential recognition system |
Key questions guided our decision-making:
- Can Rwanda supply sufficient qualified talent for both tracks within a restricted refugee pool? Should placement be in-house or outsourced?
- Could credential recognition hurdles slow direct employment progress?
We concluded that apprenticeships were the most practical model because they offered a standardized entry route with clearer criteria.
At this stage, partnering with TERN enabled quick launch while reducing risk. TERN brought an established employer network and compliance infrastructure, while the partnership allows Malengo to gradually build in-house expertise for future scale.
2. Solving for Language: 70% of Success
Language is the single biggest success determinant for Germany. Employers require at least B2-level German—a 12-month journey demanding 20+ hours weekly study, often forcing candidates to pause education and work.
Three questions guided our language training design:
- How: Would classes be virtual, in-person, or hybrid? Language schools confirmed virtual options would risk lower pass rates.
- Where: Would classes take place in camps or in Kigali? Limited teacher availability and higher costs for camp instruction pushed the decision toward Kigali, especially for a pilot requiring tight control.
- Who: Which partner could deliver 70% B2 pass rates cost-effectively?
At this point, Be Ubuntu emerged as the strongest fit: they mobilized within six weeks, deployed multiple Kigali-based instructors, and delivered intensive programming. The founder’s role as a certified German examiner based full-time in Rwanda was an additional advantage.
3. Income Share Agreements for Financing
ISAs would serve as the primary financing vehicle but implementing them introduced complexity. Malengo had limited legal registration in Rwanda; Kepler had never managed cross-border financial instruments. At this stage, the key questions were:
- How to structure ISAs legally across borders?
- Which partner could originate contracts without compliance risk?
Initial explorations with financial institutions proved too costly or slow. The solution finally emerged when Kepler identified a way to originate ISAs locally under its educational mandate, then legally transfer them to Malengo for repayment management in Germany. This creative alliance delivered the best balance of compliance, sustainability, and speed.
Looking Forward to 2026
Pilot implementation launched in July 2025 and is currently on track, with students performing at the top of their category for German learners in Rwanda. We expect candidates to pass their B2 exams by July 2026 and travel to Germany in August—turning months of preparation into tangible results.
To learn more or get involved, please contact Dawit M. Dame: ddame@lampforum.org
At LaMP, we work to dramatically increase the scale and quality of labor mobility, helping workers from low-income countries to access quality jobs across borders and businesses in high-income countries to address deepening labor shortages. A recent media piece featured our work translating this vision into reality.
