Mukashema, the entrepreneur in Kigeme Refugee Camp

NYAMAGABE – At Kigeme Refugee Camp in Nyamagabe District currently hosting over 11,000 Congolese nationals, all isn’t lost.For the last three months, Desanges Mukashema’s life hasn’t been the same having been forced to flee to Rwanda from the DRC owing to the recent fighting between forces loyal to Kinshasa and army mutineers of the M23 movement. As the fighting intensified, Mukashema crossed into Rwanda seeking a safe haven. She was first received at Nkamira Transit Centre in Rubavu district, Western province, before being transferred to the newly established camp a month ago.“When I arrived, life started to be complicated. It was really difficult for me, so I thought of looking for ways to survive”, Mukashema says.“When I was still at home, I never failed to have basic necessities, including body lotion and soap, among others. And I accessed all that through generating revenues from tailoring”.The young woman says she started thinking of getting back to her job.“I thought I can do the same thing here and survive. But then a question remained: I had no sewing machine. I had to look for it, and I had no money to acquire one”, she narrates.“That’s when I got in contact with one local person who lent me a machine, which I use”, she says disclosing that she pays Rwf 5,000 per month for renting it. For the last three weeks, Mukashema has spent her days making and altering garments inside the refugee camp.She says she does not make “much money” but that what she gets from her “small job” helps her to survive.“All depends on the number of clients I get”, she says, before adding: “And sometimes people come with little money compared to the job they want done, but I can’t deny them services because I need that money, however little it might be.But still, the money I earn helps me a lot. I now have the capacity to cater for some basic needs”.Mukashema also adds that the money she generates is supplementing the food ration and other support she - and other refugees - gets from the government of Rwanda, UN agencies and some international organizations operating in the camp.Kigeme camp was opened to Congolese refugees in June after the Nkamira transit centre was overwhelmed by high numbers of refugees who were entering the country on a daily basis.Inside the camp, some people are constantly on the move while children are mainly playing and running across the camp.But, other refugees are also busy trading a variety of products- mainly foodstuffs. All these, they say, is in the spirit of improving their living conditions.Mukeshimana Olive, 20, runs a small business of selling foodstuffs inside the camp. The mother of one says she earns Rwf 1000 of profits per day.“It looks little but it is helpful”, she says. “The money helps me to get ‘soft’ food for my child and solve my own needs”, she insists.“Inactivity in the camp, mainly among the youth, is leading some individuals to involve in negative activities. But, this keeps me busy all the day and I don’t have time to waste”, she says.Mukeshimana adds: “I am healthy and I believe hard work will help me in this new life as a refugee. I hope my efforts can make my life better, even after the sufferings I have endured”.

National

Mukashema, the entrepreneur in Kigeme Refugee Camp