Rwandan Women Visit Kigali Enterprise
Friday, June 26, 2009
The 30 participants in the Goldman Sachs Entrepreneurship Certificate Program recently visited a local, multidimensional business enterprise in Kigali.
The women toured Urwibutso Enterprises owned by Gerard Sina. Founded in 1983, the business started out making cakes and juices. It has since expanded to include animal and livestock raising, a private nursery and secondary school, brick and tile manufacturing, and furniture making.
After lunch at Sina’s restaurant, he encouraged the women to work hard in order to have successful businesses and to always look for opportunities for growth and expansion. In response to a question, Sina told the women he was able to manage all the different aspects of his enterprise through creativity and hard work.
The six-month entrepreneurship program is sponsored by Goldman Sachs under its 10,000 Women initiative, which seeks to give 10,000 women around the world a business and management education. The sponsorship means that all participants attend the program tuition-free.
Aimed at existing and aspiring entrepreneurs, the program was designed by WDI’s Executive Education department in consultation with business school faculty in the United States, WDI’s partner in Rwanda, the School of Finance & Banking (SFB), and the Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs in Rwanda.
It gives the 30 female participants from all around Rwanda the knowledge and skills needed to launch or expand business enterprises. The women will learn business planning, marketing, finance, accounting and management during their training.
The women will graduate from the program in July.
