In a bid to boost women entrepreneurship in Rwanda, 15 women entrepreneurs were awarded grants worth Rwf12 million. This was during the closure of the National Roundtable of Women Entrepreneurs yesterday at Prime Holdings, Kimihurura.

The grant value was awarded by the Ministry of Gender and Family promotion to benefit both individual and association-owned enterprises. It was disbursed in instalments ranging from Rwf 600,000 to 1.2million depending on the needs for business development.

The three-day roundtable was opened Wednesday by First Lady, Jeannette Kagame and officially closed by the Gender Minister, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya.

"Such workshops build foundations for women economic empowerment. I urge you to go back and use the grants to develop your businesses so that in future, you can benefit your communities,” Mujawamariya said.

The workshop was organised by the Private Sector Federation’s (PSF) Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs in partnership with World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC).

According to the participants, the roundtable was successfully concluded as it equipped many women with entrepreneurial skills.

"I have acquired a lot of knowledge on the banking sector. I believe it is going to facilitate my business development plan,” Collette Mukantayomba, the proprietor of La Fontaine Supermarket, told The New Times.

Blandine Kamuyumbi, another entrepreneur said that she had always searched for information about business plans but in vain. That through this workshop she managed to get all the necessary information.

Others like Gloria Byukusenge, listening to success stories of fellow female entrepreneurs and networking, have been encouraged to work harder.

"If others have made it despite the hardships in the business sector, then I believe I can,” she said with a smile.

Under the theme "Integrating women entrepreneurship in the economic development of Rwanda,” the national round table has paved way for the entrepreneurship activities as women have been trained on business development. Accordingly, henceforth such workshops will be held annually.

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