Business council for Peace (B Peace), an international non-profit organisation that helps women entrepreneurs in post conflict countries organised a banquet to congratulate Rwandan women in the business sector on the achievements they attained last year.

The exclusive dinner, attended by over 25 guests was held Thursday last week at Le Petit Prince Orange courts Hotel in Kacyiru.

According to Richard Niwenshuti, the B-Peace Programme Manager, such gatherings are held annually to celebrate achievements made over the past year and to set goals for the New Year.

"Our role as B-Peace is to equip women entrepreneurs with required skills and training that will help them develop their businesses. Today we are happy to say, that last year was incredibly successful because most of these women we support showed impressive business development,” Niwenshuti told The New Times.

Among the celebrated achievements registered last year was the expansion of Sylvie Mukamusoni’s Bambino Super City that is located in Kabuga, the launch of Syphrose

Mukampazimpaka’s Kacyiru branch of Le Petit Prince Hotel and the development of Specioza Ufitinema’s Alpha decoration company.  

Different women entrepreneurs expressed their joy for a year well ended, strongly vowing to significantly further develop their businesses in this New Year.

"I would like to congratulate every one of us for achieving so much in terms of business development and I hope that we work even harder. This way, we shall contribute significantly to the economic development of our nation,” Jeanne Mukagatete the proprietor of Genesis salon told her colleagues.

"Certainly this is going to be a year with a difference and hopefully by December many of us will have fallen into the footsteps of business giants like renowned Tribert Rujugiro,” added Nadine Mutabaruka who is also a Branch Manager at a Banque Populaire Du Rwanda outlet.

As they networked, the entrepreneurs also used the banquet as an opportunity to acquire information concerning the micro-leasing facility from Mutabaruka.

Many identified the product as a good means for business development.

According to Niwenshuti, some of the major resolutions for 2009 include the establishment and development of a new beauty school.

The school will be set up by the B-Peace programme right next to Genesis beauty salon in Remera and it will equip young Rwandan women with beauty tips to enable them compete favourably in the beauty business.

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