Tailors, who are beneficiaries of the ‘Hanga umurimo’ programme have been urged to improve their style in order to be able to compete at the international level.  

Alexis Ruzibukira, Director General in charge of industries and SMEs development at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, made the remarks Friday while  in closing a five-day training of tailors on tailoring techniques.

They were trained in how to organise their workshops so that it can be attractive to customers, customer care, income management, how to improve tailoring style, among others.

"It is possible to improve your tailoring style and organise cooperatives, because outside, there is demand for many products; you can easily sell your products outside the country instead of being limited to Rwanda,” Ruzibukira advised.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said there were plans to train people in various fields on improvement of their work by experts  for those who begin with low capital,  citing an example of a woman from Nyabihu district built a hotel under the "Hanga Umurimo” programme. 

Séraphine Kambuguje, a tailor from Nyamasheke district who was given Rwf 23 million under the program and owns 2 tailoring workshops with 8 employees. She said that she didn’t know how one could invent his or her own style and be admired by others. "From this workshop we got to know that it is possible to grow from one sewing  machine to a tailoring industry,” she said. 

François Yaméogo, a Burkina Faso tailor living in France and who is among 50 best tailors in Africa, said people do not believe that they can earn money from crafts yet it is among the top income-generating business in developed countries.

"What must be done is to change people’s mind that there are some crafts to be neglected. Do you know that in France crafts are the first employer in the country? There is no doubt that if tailoring is well done, it can generate income even more than the way they think,” he noted.

Hanga Umurimo or "Start Your Own Business” , is a programme designed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to support the young generation with entrepreneurial skills  and unlock their potential.