According to documents seen by IGIHE, the 17-year-old, who is part of the Tony Football Excellence Program (TFEP), has been invited to train with the club from April 12 to June 4, 2024, under the club’s international football training and sports development program.

FC Estoril Praia, ranked 12th in the top Portuguese league, Liga Portugal, will foot his travel, living, and medical expenses during the entire training period.

The player’s dedication to football and his impressive performances as a member of the TFEP U17 team are said to have played a crucial role in his selection.

TFEP Programme

TFEP, an Israeli sports project, was introduced in Rwanda in September 2022, with the aim of enhancing sports development among talented youth in schools.

The project, led by renowned Israeli sports investor Yonat Miriam Listenberg, was launched three months after receiving approval from the Cabinet to help in fostering capacity building, improving infrastructure, and implementing sport-tech technologies in the country.

The agreement was formalised with the signing of a partnership agreement with the Government of Rwanda, represented by the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Education, and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), on September 4, 2022.

Speaking during the signing of the deal, Listenberg affirmed that the program would nurture Rwandan youth to become global stars.

“We thank H.E, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, and government leaders for creating an enabling environment to invest in Rwandan youth and communities through sports. The project aims to promote sports culture and leadership among Rwandan young girls and boys. The partnership between the Government of Rwanda and the TFEP will ensure the achievement of our common goal, namely to nurture Rwandan youth of today to become the global stars of tomorrow,” the Director of TFEP asserted.

On her part, Minister of Sports, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, expressed her confidence that the project would be a game-changer in the sports sector as it implements both the Sports Development Policy and the Schools Sports Policy.

“The program will develop players throughout their entire journey from an early age into professional players and will integrate football education with the current school curriculum. We thank the investor for recognising the potential in Rwanda and committing to investing in the country.”

“Talent development is an essential aspect of athletes’ development pathways, and under this program, we are confident that young football talents will be nurtured into future professional players,” the minister said.