Thousands continue their educations at Tampa woman's college in Rwanda

TAMPA, Fla. - For Elizabeth Dearborn Hughes, the road to help others has been long but fulfilling.

"I grew up in Tampa but went to Rwanda when I was 21," she said.

Elizabeth is the CEO and founder of the Akilah Institute, a non-profit college for women in Kigali, Rwanda.

"We opened Akilah Institute 10 years ago with only 50 students," said Elizabeth. "We now have over 2,000 students and alumni."

The goal was to build an affordable school of higher education.

"We offer programs in technology, business entrepreneurship, hospitality, and tourism. We are about to launch new programs in cybersecurity and digital marketing, data analytics," she said. "They really have become a global model of development or reconciliation. It's been an extraordinary process and I learn so much being there, doing it."

Elizabeth says 80% of their graduates launch their careers within six months of graduation.

To learn more, visit https://www.akilahinstitute.org.