Over the weekend, 30 women, all trainees of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE Rwanda), embarked on a transformative field visit to Rulindo and Musanze districts. The tour facilitated the nurturing of their entrepreneurial spirit and empowered them for future success in business endeavours.
According to FAWE, the objectives of conducting a field study are numerous. These include helping the trainees learn how the business operates and generate profit by managing various challenges, gaining insights into market trends for agricultural products, and understanding the benefits of cooperative work and its operations.
Among the other objectives were to physically interact with successful entrepreneurs and receive tips for running a profitable business, as well as to create a platform network for future partnerships.
Over the past 30 days, FAWE Rwanda has been partnering with UN Women to train 30 young women and girls in entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). During the training, all trainees are encouraged to establish their own businesses by using their own savings.
Speaking to the media, Robert Murenzi, the training coordinator at FAWE Career Centre, highlighted that their visit to Urwibutso Enterprise, commonly known as ‘Kwa Nyirangarama’, was part of trainees’ efforts to learn from successful entrepreneurs and gain insights into the challenges faced by businesses.
During their visit, they also interacted with members of the ‘Abajyana n'igihe’ cooperatives to further their understanding of the business world.
Murenzi emphasised that the trainees gained new insights into business management through their direct interaction with successful entrepreneurs like Gerard Sina, the owner of ‘Kwa Nyirangarama’, and got to know the advantages of working together in a cooperative, and how to manage challenges in business, among others things.
"They also have time during the training to develop business plans and the centre conducts follow-ups to monitor their progress and implementation. Additionally, we provide mentors to support them in their journey,” he explained.
According to him, the centre has trained over 350 women, and out of those, 250 have secured jobs or successfully started their own businesses. He believes that the same positive outcomes await the 30 women currently undergoing training.
Ruth Bangaryimana, a trainee, highlighted that the visit greatly enriched her entrepreneurial perspective. As someone aspiring to become a business owner, she admitted that she used to believe that initiating a business necessitated having sponsors. However, her visit to Nyirangarama proved to be transformative.
"Having the opportunity to hear the story of Sina who began from scratch and has now risen to become one of the leading businessmen, I found myself inspired and underwent a significant shift in my mind-set,” she said
Gloria Gashayija Munyana, a high school graduate and a beneficiary of the FAWE programme, highlighted the productivity of the training sessions as well as the field study. She expressed that she has gained valuable insights into both digital skills and entrepreneurship, emphasising that the fusion of these two areas of knowledge will undoubtedly benefit her future activities.
Munyana pointed out that during the training, she has acquired valuable skills, including saving money and effectively advertising business through digital platforms, among others. She is now eager to put her newly acquired knowledge into action, and is determined to implement what she has learned and make a positive contribution to society.
Fidele Wibabara, the leader of the ‘Abajyana n’Igihe’ cooperative located in Musanze District, shared with trainees the significance of teamwork and perseverance during the field study.
He stressed the importance of continuing to strive towards their goals in the face of criticism and setbacks. According to him, setbacks are a natural part of any journey, but it's crucial to not give up until their objectives are met.