Rwanda: Women Handicraft Centre Inaugurated
AllAfrica.com, Washington
Paul Ntambara
Rwamagana
State Minister for Industry and Investment Promotion, Vincent Karega on March 23, officiated at the inauguration of Rwamagana Women’s hand crafts centre situated in the town centre.
In his speech, Minister Karega called upon residents of Rwamagana District to seize the opportunity and produce quality products which have a ready market overseas.
He said: “Rwandans have wasted a lot of time in the past on non productive engagements characterised by bickering and other squabbles to the detriment of development. Seize this chance therefore and work together for a better livelihood since the market for your products which fetch a high price is assured.”
The Women’s centre, formerly a youth centre was refurbished with the assistance from the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, Tourism and Investment Promotion.
The centre which expected to house 150 people will embark on the weaving of baskets which have high demand on the international market.
The Director General of RIEPA, Williams Nkurunziza advised women in the district not to compromise on the quality of their produce because doing so, he said, “Will be less rewarding to you as individual and the country.
“We want you ton treat this work as business. You should not weave for the sake of it. You should be ready to learn new designs so as to meet the ever changing needs of the customers,” he said.
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The Provincial Executive Secretary, Charles Gasana who represented Governor, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka challenged men to join the trade by providing the raw materials for the basket industry.
Gasana also revealed that the Province had set up handcraft centres in all the seven districts of the Province with a target of producing over three thousand baskets per week.
Appolinaire Kibukaire on behalf of exporters of handcrafts, urged women to produce baskets that can effectively compete on the international market in terms of quality stressing that their market is inexhaustible.