Local artisans will in three weeks time start using the online trading platform for their products, a move that is expected to boost revenues from handicraft exports.The portal will enable local artisans to sell their products online using credit cards around the world."The website has already been construct and what we are trying to do is to build handicraft hubs where our clients can pick their products,” said Isaac Bugingo, from Ikaze Ltd, a handcraft showroom established to promote handcraft exports.Bugingo is optimistic that the e-commerce platform would provide a chance to customers world wide to access and buy Rwandan products more easily and conveniently."We compete on the basis of quality and that’s why most of our products are preferred, but the challenges have been on how people can access these products more easily.” The initiative started late last year under a government policy that props up the handcraft industry to produce sufficient products to meet global demand.In a related development, the Ministry of Trade and Industry organised the second handicraft excellence award programme that is expected to attract over 75 artisans. The project Handicraft Excellence award began last year with the objective of increasing production, improving quality and connecting producers to markets. So far, 90 artisans who were selected last year are already exporting their products.Claudine Murebwayire, an artisan says, "It has been hard to access markets for our handcrafts because you are either offered little money or you completely can not get anyone to buy, but now they come looking for us.”Trade and Industry Minister, Francois Kanimba, who launched the competition, urged artisans to establish associations to help increase production and support the sector to access credit."This event aims at recognising the best potential that we have in handcraft making,” he said.Kanimba pledged government’s support through capacity building for artisans to compete fairly on the international craft market."This is quite a big deal and I have seen countries reap big through the sale of these products. We believe there is a great opportunity for us in this market,” Kanimba observed.The country currently fetches over US$3 million a year with a projection to increase this to over   US$10 million by 2020, a move that has prompted the government to initiate projects aimed at boosting the sector which employs mostly uneducated youth and women in rural areas.