Female beneficiaries of the MasterCard Foundation have commended the organisation for supporting their associations through Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Rwanda.

The women made the remarks, yesterday, at Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, when a five-member delegation from the MasterCard Foundation paid them a visit.

Epiphonie Musabyingabire, one of the beneficiaries, said MasterCard has provided them an opportunity to acquire business skills.

"We received tailoring skills at the beginning. We can now sew our own clothes and make crafts. We also have businesses that provide us income,” Musabyingabire said.

She added that the association opened doors for networking, which brought in more ideas.

"Even as a group, we share a lot and when some members are sick or need money, it is possible to obtain it through the SACCO (savings and credit cooperative) that we formed,” she added.

Bernadette Kamugwera, another beneficiary, said the business training package she received from the centre is the source of her survival.

"I started with nothing, but now when I make crafts or clothes, I get customers. My clients are mainly tourists, hence I am assured of market,” Kamugerwa said.

Marie Aimee Umugeni, who represented the women, said the Foundation’s support has improved the lives of the women and most of them are now expanding their businesses.

"Every month these women get paid, and every three months, we meet to discuss issues the group may want to address aimed at business expansion,” Umugeni said.

Meanwhile, the MasterCard delegation, headed by their president Reeta Roy, also toured the youth employment and productive centre in Kimisagara. Also on the delegation are board members Jendayi Frazer, the former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Don Morrison, former chief operations officer of Blackberry.

Tantine Uwitonze, an alumnus of the centre, commended the organisation for enabling her acquire business skills.

She said that after the training, she received Rwf2m together with her colleagues as startup capital.

"We did not have enough capital for the business, but after we successfully submitted a proposal, we received funding and are now looking forward to employing others,” she said.

Jean Claude Ndayambaje, the head of the empowerment and employment programme at DOT, said the centre is also empowering girls in ICT .

"We have different ICT models we take our students through and by the end of the course they are able to integrate it in other fields such as entrepreneurship,” Ndayambaje said.

Meanwhile, Jendayi Frazer warned that much as the youth are being trained in creating jobs, not everyone can create a job.

She said they still have a possibility of engaging in other sectors such as health where more technicians and nurses are needed.

"Youth can also explore these sectors and with a booming health sector, the country can also become a hub of health tourism.”

editorial@newtimes.co.rw