Jane Mukamana lost count of the number of times she sneaked local gin (kanyanga) into the country during her life as a smuggler a few years ago. What she is sure of is that the smuggling did not benefit her or her family and fellow smugglers.

Tired of risking their lives for no tangible reward, Mukamana and other women smugglers from Karama sector in Nyagatare District abandoned the illegal trade and started a group, Twubakane Co-operative to engage in organised and legal business. Twubakane Co-operative deals in a range of fruits and vegetables, like water melons, mangoes, apples, pineapples and oranges. The co-operative is composed of 10 young women, all of whom were kanyanga smugglers.

Mukamana, who heads the co-operative, is happy she abandoned the illegal trade. "Our work is progressing very well and has few risks compared to what we went through as smugglers. We are able to save about Rwf1 million a month from our daily sales, after deducting all the expenses,” Mukamana says.

She says the co-operative, which they started in 2011, has established branches in different trading centres in Karama.

"That’s how we manage to earn handsomely. We distribute the fruits and vegetables in the same trading centres, where we used to sell the smuggled brew,” explains Mary Kamariza, a member of the co-operative.

"We can now provide for our families needs, pay medical insurance and school fees for our children without waiting for our husbands to do it for us,” Mukamana says. Mukamana reasons that a woman who pays bills makes her family stable financially and in other aspects. "It is important for women to start who small businesses from which they can earn money to cater for some of their needs instead of depending on their husbands for everything,” Murerwa Angelique, the vice-president of the co-operative adds.

The genesis

Twubakane Co-operative was formed by a group of 10 young women used to smuggle local gin (kanyanga) from Uganda.

"We were tired of smuggling and realised that we had to establish a legal enterprise if we were to develop as respectable businesswomen.

"In our previous ‘business’ we could always run whenever we saw the police or sector leaders and end up not selling anything. We could also lose some of the gin in the process, yet it cost us a lot of money,” Mukamana says.

She explains that, initially, each member contributed Rwf100,000 to kick-start the current business. She says they used the Rwf1 million collected to rent a working space for the co-operative and the other requirements for the enterprise.

Challenges

As in any other business, Mukamana says the co-operative faces the challenge of competition from vegetable and fruit vendors and hawkers.

She says though they deal in similar products, vendors and hawkers sell at lower prices. The group’s business growth is also affected by taxes levied by the sector. "Besides this, we lack financial support to expand the business and serve the whole district and beyond,” she adds.

She says sometimes their merchandise is destroyed when they use public means to transport the products.

No gain in smuggling

Having experienced both worlds, the group is happy to have chosen this path. They say apart from running an organised and legal business, they earn more money and lead better lives compared to when they were engaged in smuggling. The co-operative members advise those still engaged in any illegal trade to abandon it, saying nobody can earn a meaningful livelihood from smuggling.

"There is nothing good with such businesses apart from risking your life. Besides, we are supposed to contribute to the development of our country…smuggling is not pro-development,” Kaliza Odette, another member of the co-operative, points out.

According to Catherine Murekatete, a mother of two and also a member of the group, it is not worth it to engage in such a risky business.

"There is nothing good in being a smuggler. I pray for those who are still dealing in the illicit trade to form co-operatives and conduct lawful enterprises. I am happy with my job and I will never engage in any other risky business…I almost lost my life trying to escape from the police,” she says.

Murekatete appreciates the support the government has given women in terms of training in business management and entrepreneurship.

"I advise my fellow women to work hard and contribute to the wellbeing and stability of their families. "Women who don’t work are a burden to their husbands,” Murekatete argues.

We did it, you too can do it

The co-operative provides us a sustainable source of income, you too can reap such benefit if only you take that step and start a legal income generating activities. "This way, you will have contributed a lot to efforts aimed at making our country self-reliant,” says Mukamana.

The group lauds the government for empowering them. Mukamana says they plan to expand the business and help reduce unemployment among young women in Karama sector.