I tapped into a service that was needed but not available, says local businesswoman

Alphonsine Uwimana’s creativeness coupled with expertise in business management has been instrumental in the formation of her luggage store company- Ikaze, a luggage storage and delivery service company. Two years ago, a personal experience she had with a friend became the basis of this idea that has now turned into an enterprise that is facilitating the convenience of a number of travellers. “In 2018, a friend of mine came to Rwanda from abroad and we had to go somewhere before heading home in Musanze. We couldn’t find a safe place to keep her luggage and moving around with it was close to impossible. Nonetheless we had no option but to move around with it, this was very hard for us and that’s how I overturned this encounter,” she says. She says after observing this challenge, she saw it as a great opportunity for her to address it, through a business venture. To ensure safety for her clients’ property, Uwimana is strict on identification of the customer and their belongings. “And when I did research, I discovered that this was a service that was needed but wasn’t available.” That’s when she decided to establish this company to make travel less stressful by temporarily storing people’s luggage. Her company stores luggage for travellers on a journey, those who are travelling to or from outside countries like Uganda, Kenya, and even those in Rwanda moving within the city or to provinces. As a way of ensuring safety for her clients’ property, Uwimana is strict on identification of the customer and their belongings. Uwimana receiving the grant. Photos: Courtesy “So far, no one has ever claimed or taken luggage that doesn’t belong to them. Because when people approach us we check their luggage, we note items down, we also register their identification, telephone number and we give them their luggage’s ID number,” she explains. “It’s the luggage’s ID number that they show us when they come to pick their luggage. They have to tell us the time they need their luggage to be kept because we charge depending on the hours spent. An hour to three hours is Rwf 1,000 but we have a discount for those who keep for longer hours.” Challenges The 32-year-old says operating her business, especially at the start, encountered different obstacles. “Getting clients was not easy but also, not knowing how best to fix prices was a challenge on its own. Drivers who helped with delivery would at times delay delivering customers’ items, and this would complicate the entire process, they would also change prices all the time and it made it hard for me, it also cut on my profits,” she says. However, Uwimana says what she did to manage this, was to first put aside the idea of making a lot of money. “I instead focused on building a reputation for my business. I also focused on giving my clients quality services because I wanted to retain every client I got in touch with.” On the side of her clientele’s strong base, she says the closure of borders has affected the growth of her business because her target was mainly those travelling in and out of the country. She is, however, confident that when borders open, her business will spur to its full potential. Plans for expansion Though she had this idea two years ago, her implementation has mainly been at the start-up stage till this year when she won a grant from Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP), a global management consulting firm. “I won USD 12,000 and on top of that, I also had access to a six-month innovative incubator programme. From this, I was able to get money to fully implement my business idea and I also got skills on how to establish and manage a business, how to handle customers, how to market my business, how to manage employees, among others, and these are helping me manage the business,” she says. She now has dreams of seeing her venture become bigger and serving more people. She also wants it to be international to facilitate those abroad in delivering items here in the country. “Locally, I want to be able to expand and establish my offices to other areas, for example, other taxi parks where they need these services.” For her to achieve this, she is working hard at marketing her services a lot through digital platforms—a website and the company’s different social media accounts. Still on marketing, Uwimana says she is also focused on securing deals with different transport agencies, among other cooperatives that help connect her to those who are travelling and need these services. “Through this, I hope to expand and fully equip my business with all the necessary equipment, for example, installing cameras in the luggage store and also finding a bigger place that will accommodate more items for customers.”

Lifestyle

I tapped into a service that was needed but not available, says local businesswoman