Jackson MPP Thesis Presentations - Session 1

Speakers:

Didace Bienvenu Irafasha
Tereza Boynova

Full Description:

Didace Irafasha - The Impact of Language Policy Change in Rwanda on the Domestic Labor Market

This project analyzes the impact of Rwanda's adoption of English in 2008 as the official language for education, commerce, and administration on the foreign language premium on wealth outcomes. The first aim is to prove that the policy increased Rwanda's integration in the global economy using globalization indices. Then, with the use of household data from the national census population and housing surveys in Rwanda, Irafasha assesses how the English skills wealth premium for household heads changed in the post-policy period. The project also explores the differential effects of the policy on English speakers and non-speakers in the short-term and medium-term, as well as across various sectors of the economy. The insights from this research project call for increased investment in foreign language training in schools and job training programs.

Didace Bienvenu Irafasha is a 2nd year Master of Public Policy student at the Jackson School of Global Affairs at Yale, focusing on economic development, policy analysis, and innovation-led private sector growth in Africa. Before Yale, Didace gained experience within the United Nations system, where he worked on a range of global development issues, such as sustainable procurement at UNDP, youth employment and green-skills financing at IFAD, and climate policy and blended finance strategies at the Permanent Mission of Rwanda.

Tereza Boynova - Mobilizing Blended Finance for Climate Resilience: Insights from Singapore

This presentation examines how blended finance—strategic partnerships among public, private, and philanthropic capital—can be more effectively deployed to support climate adaptation projects in the Global South. As climate impacts intensify, local adaptation efforts remain critically underfunded. Highlighting Singapore’s emergence as a regional financial hub, the research investigates how innovative initiatives like the Green Bond Grant Scheme and FAST-P unlock capital, and what barriers still stand in the way. Drawing on stakeholder interviews and comparative case studies, it distills lessons that can inform global efforts to scale adaptation finance. By combining insights from on-the-ground practitioners with a systems-level policy lens, the project offers a roadmap to align diverse funding streams and accelerate climate resilience for communities that need it most.

Tereza Boynova is a Master of Public Policy candidate at Yale’s Jackson School, specializing in innovative finance for climate and development. Her thesis, in collaboration with the UNDP and UNCDF, explores systemic barriers to blended finance for locally led adaptation. Previously, she led Forte Global’s expansion into Europe, building partnerships with the EU and 13 governments to fund multi-million dollar reskilling projects. She also supported the business strategy of AIRMO, a space-based climatetech startup, interfacing with the European Space Agency. Through 180 Degrees Consulting, she advised NGOs and social enterprises in 12 countries, scaling impact in education, health, and economic inclusion. Raised in Zimbabwe and Bulgaria, Tereza brings a global lens to advancing sustainable, impact-driven finance.

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