Economic Empowerment
Over 2,000 women who formerly ran illegal business in the city of Kigali have benefited from Agaseke project, the authorities have said.This was said yesterday during the official launch of Agaseke Exhibition Week at Petit Stade in Kigali where several products are showcased. The exhibition with the theme " Agaseke, a cultural legacy and economic booster to Rwandan women," is aimed at showcasing what the beneficiaries what have done in promoting their products.
KCC Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba, promised that KCC will continue marketing their products abroad.
"These handcraft products not only improve your lives but also contribute towards the economic development of the country, and that is why KCC has committed to market Agaseke products," Ndayisaba said.
KCC vice Mayor in charge of social affairs, Hope Tumukunde, said the project had so far attracted 2000 active members in the project residing in the capital city, attributing it to the tangible benefits they have attained since its inception
"Several women have gained from the project and their livelihoods have improved," said Tumukunde.
However, she noted some women quit the project and go back on the streets in search of quick money, citing it as the main challenge facing the project.
"We plan to set up space in markets to enable them sell their products," Tumukunde said.
There are 38 Agaseke cooperatives within the Kigali City. The project is partly supported by One UN Rwanda.
Speaking to The New Times, a 48 year Valentina Mukamurigo, a former street vendor, said ever since she joined Umucyo cooperative that produces handcrafts, her family had improved economically.
"I used to struggle with only Rwf 5,000 as a profit I from items I sold in a month, but now I am a Rwf 150,000 earner in handcraft business and has enabled get tuition fees for children," said the mother of four. Through handcraft training she attained, Mukamurigo now trains other Agaseke cooperatives in which she earns another Rwf100,000.
Another Agaseke beneficiary who was a former commercial sex worker, Christine Uwamahoro, in Bahoneza Cooperative, said she now earns Rwf80,000.
"My previous work was very demanding and badly paying, but now I am able to support my children," she said.
Established in 2007 with the aim of strengthening women's economic empowerment, the Agaseke project is an initiative of Kigali City Council (KCC) in partnership of IMBUTO foundation under the First Lady Jeannette Kagame and RDB.
The project was initiated to primarily train about 3,800 women from the three districts of Kigali namely Nyarugenge, Kicukiro and Gasabo, in weaving so that they could produce products ready for the market.