{"id":252,"date":"2019-06-06T06:26:20","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T06:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/?p=252"},"modified":"2019-06-07T03:00:11","modified_gmt":"2019-06-07T03:00:11","slug":"rwandan-womens-group-takes-steps-to-self-sustainability-and-community-empowerment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/2019\/06\/06\/rwandan-womens-group-takes-steps-to-self-sustainability-and-community-empowerment\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwandan women\u2019s group takes steps to self-sustainability and community empowerment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243; background_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0)&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||-100px&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Oswald|||on|||||&#8221; text_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#998002&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;61px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.1em&#8221; link_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; ul_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-20px||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><b>Rwandan women\u2019s group takes steps to self-sustainability and community empowerment<\/b><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/women2.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><strong>By Yoyo Chow and Candice Wong<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Roboto||||||||&#8221; text_text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; header_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; header_6_font=&#8221;Roboto|700|on||||||&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;12px&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were only four sewing machines and a meeting room at the Nyamirambo Women\u2019s Center when 18 Rwandese women first launched it in 2007. After years in operation, besides dozens of new sewing machines, there are also now computers, a moderate collection of English books and a small shop selling handicraft.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Located in Kigali, Rwanda\u2019s capital, this women\u2019s center aims to increase the business competitiveness of women by providing classes on weaving, English, computers, and literacy. Throughout the years, the group estimates they have helped more than 500 women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe women\u2019s center welcomes everyone,\u201d Mary Nyangoma, 44, vice president of the center, said. \u201cWe hope that the women settled in this neighborhood can get together and support each other,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before 2013, their operation was solely funded by the Peace Institute from Slovenia. The revenue generated from their local tours and interest classes for tourists was inadequate. More than once, it shut down for lack of money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monica Tabet-Gugolz, a Swiss woman who settled in Kigali with her family for four years, started Umutima, a cooperative which sells children clothes and housewares at the center\u2019s shop. The income from the store helps keep the center self-sustaining.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><br \/> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nrc2iabUbx8\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Video by\u00a0Monica Tabet-Gugolz<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mukeshimana Grace, 52, member of the cooperative, said working for the women\u2019s center has been her major source of income since it pays her a fair wage as well as for the products she makes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Mukeshimana decided to join the team after she took shelter from the rain in the center. She used to be a vendor selling handicrafts in a market with an unstable income, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe established a circular model that supported the work to go on, with or without outside funds. Today we are happy to accept donations, but we don\u2019t want to depend on them,\u201d Tabet-Gugolz wrote on the center\u2019s blog.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To stand out from other local craft stores, the cooperative designs their own products with high vibrant fabrics. Sometimes, they may also look for external artisans who specialize in other traditional craftsmanship like basketry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alyce Nkesha, 47, a designer from Uganda, decided to order fabrics from the center to make cushions, after making visits to the U.S., China and Europe. She said she likes the flamboyant prints on the textile.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI always support women\u2019s group, \u201c she added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fledgling tourism in Rwanda also supports their operation, Ms. Nyangoma said, since they host walking tours in their neighborhood, hair-braiding classes, visits to tailor shops and cooking classes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The center has hired more than 50 women as their income has increased and the scope of their training as also increased. They have done training against gender-based violence and established a free community library for children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Nyangoma said local officials have been encouraging more women to join them and they also recruit new members by social networking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe hope to help as many women as possible,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/women1.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Roboto|700|on||||||&#8221; text_text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-20px||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Nyamirambo Women\u2019s Center, in the oldest area in Kigali, has helped approximately 500 Rwandan women. The center practices community-based tourism with classes on traditional culture and customs and trains women in sustainable crafts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/women5.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Roboto|700|on||||||&#8221; text_text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-20px||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mukeshimana Grace weaves a pair of earrings during a class for toursits. It is her major source of income, she said, adding that she feels bonded with the centre&#8217;s members as her support system in life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/women3.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/women4.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/women6.jpg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.23.3&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Roboto|700|on||||||&#8221; text_text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-20px||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mary Nyangoma says the center seeks funding from the government on projects and is looking forward to center\u2019s extension to help more Rwandan women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Yoyo Chow and Candice Wong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-articles-1","category-slider"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=252"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":262,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252\/revisions\/262"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rwandareports.hkbujournalism.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}