SOUTHERN PROVINCE

The German Cooperation (GTZ) has opened a new Agaseke centre worth Frw19 million to a cooperative in Muhanga district.

Agaseke is a local basket— fondly called the Rwanda’s peace basket— woven by most women in the country.

Cooperative de production D’artisanat d’Art du Rwanda (COPARWA) in Muhanga District is to use the centre for training the agaseke weavers and as a store where buyers can order for supplies.

The baskets are popular both on the local and international markets selling at Frw20,000-Frw50,000 on the international Mercy’s, a US departmental store.

The centre is located along the main Kigali- Butare highway. It was officially opened on October 29th by officials from the German Embassy, GTZ, Ministry of Commerce and Nyamabuye Sector.

Over 900 women weavers are expected to benefit from the project.

They will easily sell their handmade products to both local and foreign buyers.

"This location is strategic and a solution to the problem of access to our quality products. The sales will also raise the standards of living for the rural women,” Anastasia Uwimabera, the Coparwa manager said.

Responding the current problem of low supply the on world markets, Uwimabera said: "The cooperative has the best quality and there is a lot in stock in terms of quantity, and GTZ has helped us in marketing the product.”

Michel Nieden, the GTZ official, said the Muhanga-based cooperative is among the many weaving projects sponsored in the Southern Province since 1995.

Nieden added that ‘there is no problem of market and cooperatives have specialty in products and need to form a union so as to meet the demand’.

The cooperative is set to participate in the Trade Exposition in Berlin, German early November and one has big chances of selling its quality baskets made in Rwanda, allover Europe

Ends