Elizabeth's mission to educate future leaders

Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes (parent to three children at KLB Prep) was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the world's most influential female social entrepreneurs. She co-founded the Akilah Institute, the only college for women in Rwanda, and is the CEO and co-founder of Davis College, a global network of universities that prepares young leaders to solve the world's most pressing challenges.

What took you to Rwanda?

I grew up in Florida and moved to Rwanda in 2006. I was 21. I wanted to find a way to contribute to the reconciliation process after the 1994 genocide. I spent a few years volunteering with grassroots organisations and met countless young women, genocide survivors, who wanted to contribute to their country’s development, but the opportunities for higher education were extremely limited. 

What led you to found your first college?

My friend (and now husband) Dave Hughes and I came up with the idea for Akilah, an all women's college that would educate future leaders with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to launch their own ventures and careers in the fastest growing sectors of the East African economy. In 2010, We opened Akilah in the capital of Kigali in a small two-classroom building with 50 students.

The Akilah Institute was founded in Kigali ten years ago with the aim of supporting the Rwandan government’s powerful vision of transforming a post-conflict community into a knowledge based economy and lift millions of people from poverty through new innovative industries. That ambition has paid off; over the past twenty years Rwanda has enjoyed a commercial boom and the progressive outlook has revolutionised the economy, turning it into one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. Through Akilah, we wanted to build a bridge between the education system and the careers of the future in the country by educating the next generation of female leaders and entrepreneurs.

Tell us about your plans for your new colleges

Now, after ten years, we have launched Davis College, a global model of affordable, market-relevant higher education that prepares students for meaningful careers. While Akilah will remain the women’s institute at Davis College, we have now expanded access to young men. We now have 3,000 students and alumni.

As East Africa’s pre-eminent higher education institute for women, our graduates work in digital finance, conservation, tech startups, data analytics, mobile phone manufacturing, drone delivery, and logistics: jobs that didn’t even exist in Rwanda several years ago. Our graduates gain the skills necessary for professional success in the 21st century, leading critical conversations to push forward ideas that promote women’s empowerment, climate action, clean energy solutions, smart city innovation and more. They drive change in their families, communities and countries.

86% of our graduates launch their careers within six months of graduation, and they earn 11x the national median income. Akilah hosts local and international students. 78% of these young women are the first in their family to attend higher education, and more than 50% come from rural areas.

What makes your colleges unique?

Unlike most institutions, Akilah provides extensive supplementary training in 'soft skills,' such as leadership development, career preparation, and English writing and speaking. Students are expected to master more than industry skills, so they can progress rapidly in the workplace and assume management roles. 

Our academic pillars are 21st century skills, personalised learning, ethical leadership, innovation and sustainability. With climate change projected to create 60 million new jobs by 2030, Davis is the only college in Africa that requires students to take courses in sustainability. We consider it a career competency and our students learn to understand and address the effects of climate change and environmental degradation and how to balance vibrant economies with a healthy environment.

What brought you to Hong Kong?

After nearly a decade of living in Rwanda, Dave and I moved back to Hong Kong, his hometown. Our two daughters, Lorraine and Tamsyn, go to Kellett and their brother Elliot will join in August. Prior to Covid, we were working on opening Davis College in Hong Kong to offer campus and online programs to low-income students across Asia. This plan has been put on hold until Covid subsides and the economy stabilizes.