Genocide widows are ready to stand up and be counted as part of Rwanda’s current transformation progress through creating various development ventures that would enable them to remain socially and economically self-reliant.

Members of Avega-Agahozo, an umbrella organisation of women Genocide survivors, said this during the graduation ceremony of Same Sky women artisans, yesterday.

The graduation of 17 women artisans, held at Avega-Agahozo Remera office, was also attended by the First Lady, Mrs Jeannette Kagame.

The women artisans underwent a six-month business training programme offered by US-based trade initiative, Same Sky, in partnership with Indego Africa—a non-profit organisation that empowers female artisans across Rwanda, to access economic opportunities and educational training programmes.

Therese Mugorewera, one of the graduates, said that with the training, they would be able to improve on their crafting skills consequently improving the quality of their products.

"We have learnt a lot from the training, such as how to work together as a team and work with banks to grow our business, we learnt about health and safety at work, and learnt about avoiding repetitive stress injuries and quality control in general,” said Mugorewera.

The training offered participants with computer and English lessons.

"We have gained computer skills which has made communication amongst ourselves and our partners in the Same Sky easy. We want to thank Indigo Africa for the training,” said Mogorewera, a Genocide widow and mother of five.

Mugorewera added that the training has installed in them smart, realistic and critical ambitions.

"We were pulled aback by the history of our nation, but now, we want to move forward. We want more market, we want to know more about computer and learn more English so that we can move along with the current development speed of the nation,” she said.

The participants were awarded certificates for completing 25 lessons, designed to provide them with knowledge in cooperative management and general business skills.

The training was concluded on December 18, last year.

Gaining confidence in abilities

In her welcoming remarks, Avega president Valerie Mukabayire said the training would enable the women to gain more assurance in their own abilities and learn how to become bigger entrepreneurs.

"Same Sky’s partnership with Avega-Agahozo has enabled our members to do a lot, such as renovating their houses, starting up businesses and sustaining their families, among other achievements. But the most important thing is that Avega women continue to come out of despair and are becoming more self-reliant,” Mukabayire said.

Benjamin Gasamagera, the chairperson of Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation, in his keynote speech, said the skills and competences gained by the Genocide widows would help them to better run and grow their own businesses, and drive economic growth of their communities.

"The basic business training has provided the participants with the knowledge and the confidence to be powerful mentors and leaders in their communities,” Gasamagera said.

Thanking the First Lady and the work of her organisation, the Imbuto Foundation, for continuing to empower women and girls across the nation, Gasamagera emphasised that investing in women benefits a bigger scale of society.

On average, women in the developing world invest 90 per cent of their income back into their families in comparison to men who only contribute between 30 to 40 per cent of their income, he explained.

"These 17 graduates are going back into their communities to lead by example; showing others how much it is possible for women to accomplish in Rwanda, creating better opportunities for the generations to come,” added Gasamagera.

Same Sky founder Francine LeFrak said the eight-year partnership with Avega has enabled the widows to be confident, and gain business skills, which have transformed their livelihood.

"We believe that talent is everywhere and opportunity isn’t. We wanted to show the world the talent of the women in Rwanda and give them an opportunity to empower themselves and their families.

"This training shows that there is so much confidence in these women; they are working on their business plan, and are able to use computer and their whole lives are transforming,” said LeFrak.

Same Sky partners with Avega in availing market for women artisans and providing them with raw materials to make good quality crafts which compete favourably on the world market.

"We pay these women more and above the minimum wage of this country, because we want them to be empowered by their work. We don’t want to be another charity or NGO, we want to show them that in and around the world people are wearing their jewelry and love their work,” LeFrak told The New Times.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw