On May 23, 2026, BK Foundation, in partnership with iDebate Rwanda, hosted the national finale of the fourth cohort of the Money Makeover Challenge, rewarding students for innovative ideas that demonstrated how financial knowledge can be applied to real-life challenges.
The Money Makeover Challenge is a practical financial literacy competition designed to help secondary school students move beyond classroom theory and apply financial skills through problem-solving, entrepreneurship and investment.
This year’s finale brought together 11 schools from across Rwanda: E.S Bumbogo, IFAK Kimihurura, Kagarama Secondary School, Rusumo High School, Lycée de Rusumo, Rwanda Coding Academy, Cornerstone Leadership Academy, Rwanda Children Christian School, Saint Mary’s High School Kiruhura, Petit Séminaire Saint Léon Kabgayi and Agahozo Shalom Youth Village.
Each school was represented by a team of three students. The teams were presented with a financial scenario involving two young graduates earning Rwf60,000 per month while spending Rwf80,000, creating a monthly deficit of Rwf20,000. Their task was to develop a viable business idea that would close the gap and generate additional income to support future plans.
IFAK Kimihurura emerged as the winner of the fourth cohort and received Rwf900,000, while E.S Bumbogo finished second and received Rwf450,000. Lycée de Rusumo placed third, Rwanda Children Christian School fourth and Rwanda Coding Academy fifth.
Across the different training phases, 350 participating students received Rwf50,000 each and certificates of participation.
Ketsia Keza, Coordinator of the Money Makeover Challenge, highlighted the growth of the programme and the contribution of the partnership with BK Foundation.
“In two years, we have managed to train close to 15,000 students, which would not have been achievable without BK Foundation’s commitment. We are not stopping here, we are looking at expanding the reach of this challenge, including the possibility of bringing it to a national television audience,” she said.
For the winning team from IFAK Kimihurura, the challenge provided an opportunity to turn financial knowledge into practical ideas. The students presented two projects: Smart Card Canteen, a card-based payment system designed to help parents send money directly to their children’s school canteen accounts, and Akazi Link, a training platform connecting fresh graduates with employers.
Guilliane Juru, a Senior Five Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics student at IFAK Kimihurura, said the experience strengthened her understanding of how disciplined financial decisions support growth.
“Money, however little, always has the potential to grow if handled with discipline. Competing here taught me that financial literacy is not just about knowing the theory, it is about having the confidence to put it into practice. I am already thinking about investing in BK Capital shares as a starting point,” she said.
E.S Bumbogo’s team presented an automated envelope-making machine and a fertiliser production venture, both designed to generate income and employment.
Arnold Imfura Munyaneza, a Senior Five Mathematics, Physics and Geography student at E.S Bumbogo, said the competition changed how his team approaches money.
“Before, we thought the natural thing to do with money was to spend it and then look for more. Now we understand that the first thing you do when you receive money is set aside what you will save, and then work with what remains. That shift in thinking is what this competition gave us,” he said.
The fourth cohort also welcomed six students from Taraba State, Nigeria, as part of a growing relationship between iDebate Rwanda and Nigerian schools. The delegation participated in a standalone debate on the advantages and disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence in education.
In line with the programme’s focus on building lasting financial habits, prize money awarded to the winning teams is channelled through AGUKA, an investment fund managed by BK Capital. This gives students practical exposure to investment and reinforces the importance of growing money rather than immediately spending their rewards.
Through structured financial literacy training, practical problem-solving and exposure to investment, the Money Makeover Challenge is helping young people build the knowledge and habits needed to make informed financial decisions, develop viable business ideas and participate more confidently in Rwanda’s economy.
