From homelessness to a stable income

For about five years, Shantel Uwiringiyimana never had a permanent place to call home thus spending nights anywhere after a long hot day on the streets. The 26 year old lived a miserable life. She says that never at one time, did she think her life could positively change to bring a smile on her face just like it is today. “I used to station around Kimironko market with my baby girl in search of our daily bread which I sometimes missed,” Uwiringiymana narrates. She adds that “I had no option but do whatever I could to survive with my baby. However, the most challenging issue was where to spend the night.” The single mother explains that one day, while she was at her usual joint, two ladies approached her proposing to have a discussion. “I was familiar to them because they are some of those who used to give me a coin, but it was so strange that they asked to discuss with me,” she says adding that it was a “surprise”. After insisting, the discussions ended on a note that Uwiringiymana had to be trained in various skills to enable her start another life. “I first of all thought this was impossible, but I was taken to join other women who were also being trained,” she says Uwiringiymana is one of those pioneer beneficiaries of the ABC Women Union Training Centre (WUTC) operating in Kicukiro district. The centre, free of charge, provides life skills to vulnerable women. They are taught how to make pizzas, tortillas, donuts and cakes among other bakery products. Like Uwiringiymana, other beneficiaries who spoke to Sunday Times said the centre has made a landmark in their lives. The founder of the centre Robine Smith says her mission is to transform or bring a positive change especially in women who had lost hope in life. She notes that sometimes abandoned women feel desperate and can not even look around to find something to do and keep life moving. “When I started this project, I had limited funds and I started it in my home in Kimironko, not until recently when I managed to get a permanent place to operate from,” Smith says. She explains that after these women had acquired the skills, next was to find how they could earn from the skills. “I therefore had to start a system where products are made from the centre and clients buy them direct from here.” Every Saturday, the centre is open to buyers while others get into direct contact with Smith and make special orders. “This does not only enable these women to earn, but also keeps the centre self-sustaining in that it does not depend on any form of donation to operate,” she says. Smith closely works with Shalotte Nyirabugingo guiding her in the daily activities which also includes identifying the women to join the centre. “The women who need to join are many but after interviewing them, we consider the most vulnerable ones,” Nyirabugingo says. She adds that when women are enrolled, on addition to empowering them economically, they are also sensitized against situations that may draw them back in to their past life experience. Other than studies besides work, women are also engaged in general life guidance training including hygiene, discipline and protection against HIV/Aids among others. As a means of making the centre capable of operating independently, photographer Linda Smith occasionally holds a photography exhibition at the centre. “The funds I get from these exhibitions are given to the centre so that it can keep on carrying out its activities,” Smith explains. She adds: “The photographs I exhibit are for these women when they are at work in different activities which are interesting and catching.” Ends