Source: East African Business Week
Kigali — She survived the horrific 1994 Genocide, but since then her livelihood has depended on showing self-initiative, hard work and an appreciation for learning new skills.

Born 52-years ago in Kamonyi district Rwanda, Liberathe Mukancyenda has continued to survive and this is because of the charcoal stove-making business she started back in 2012.

"I got training from Women for Women International, which equipped me with different skills hence helping me start up my business," Mukacyenda told East African Business Week.

Once she had an idea of what business to start, she mobilized six other people in her area of residence, which is Nyagatovu, Remera and they formed a cooperative called 'Kooperative Ubukorikori Remera' (KOUR).

"I remember we did not start with any capital. All we had to do as a group was to join hands and work hard for the development of our cooperative," she recalls.

"We extracted clay from a nearby swamp, made charcoal stoves which we were able to sell off and from such we were able to build a workshop for Rwf200,000 (about $290)," she said.

KOUR now has 13 members both women and men and Mukacyenda said this was intended to encourage gender equality.

"We make over 30 small charcoal stoves on a day from which we can be able to collect Rwf4500, plus 10 big charcoals stoves which brings in Rwf10,000 per day ($14)," she said.

This Cooperative does not only make charcoal stoves. Other items include flower pots which are sold between Rwf8000 and 10,000, in addition to small ones which are normally sold at Rwf1500 ($2).

After making the stoves, they sell them to other cooperatives, but especially to Duterane Inkunga cooperative which offers them a constant market.

"We have two young men whom we pay Rwf5,000 per month who help us with making the charcoals stove plus our children," Mukacyenda said.

"Getting material to make the charcoals stoves is not hard. We get clay from Nyarutarama and Nyabisindu swamps and this is free since the government gave us such areas and from there we use transport of Rwf20,000," she said.

"We also have a newly introduced project of 'cyana rumwe and cyana macye' which is translated to encourage use less firewood and charcoal," Mukacyenda said.

From this business, Mukacyenda can make about Rwf50,000 ($72) as profit per month.

She has managed to build a Rwf1million ($1450) house in which she lives with her four children, with other six rental houses from which she can get Rwf60,000 per month.

Her children are able to go to school and she also owns a plot worth Rwf150,000. Her plan is to build other rental houses on this land during this year.

The returns from the business have allowed Mukacyenda to start other projects like a piggery, which she started with support from Ministry of Local Government and the Gasabo district administration. This was after visiting her charcoal stove making business.

"When I have grown up pigs, I can sell like 30 kilogrammes from which I can make Rwf30,000," she said.

Amidst all this busy activity, one can doubt Mukacyenda has any headaches, but she does. "The main problem we face is extracting clay since we are mostly women. This is hard work for us," she said.

Other challenges are increasing difficulties in finding firewood which often increases costs of production, and the small size of their workshop .

"We need a bigger well-constructed place to keep our products and be able to prevent them from damages especially during the rainy season," she said.

Mukacyenda hopes to start up a bar business very soon which will again contribute to improving her livelihood.

However, she also wants to expand the stove-making enterprise. She has an account with Umurenge Sacco and as a cooperative they were able to get a loan of Rwf600.000.

"With such a loan, we hope to buy more firewood, extract more clay hence will be able to make more stoves for our business," she said.

As a cooperative they have obtained about 15 certificates and as a person, she has won three certificates.

With help from the Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), and the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA) she has been able to train over 200 Rwandans on the use of 'cyana rumwe' and cyana macye" charcoal stoves, which are more economical.

She encourages Rwandans not to lose hope or shun hard work since this is how they can fight poverty and contribute towards Rwanda's overall development.

• Rwanda