Title: INEZA, Creating Economic Sustainability for Women in Rwanda

Title: INEZA, Creating Economic Sustainability for Women in Rwanda

Project Location: Kigali, Rwanda

School: Brandeis University

Student(s) Information: Margot Moinester, USA, Brandeis University, UWC affiliated

Susan Younger, USA, Memphis College of Art, not UWC affiliated

Section I - Project overview:

WE-ACTX INEZA, an income generation project committed to producing high quality bags and personal accessories from African fabrics, is located in Kigali, Rwanda and is comprised of 25 women living with HIV/AIDS, many of whom are survivors of genocidal rape and sexual violence. Over the course of the summer, through artistic and capacity building initiatives as well as resource development, our project aimed to facilitate INEZA in their efforts to actualize their expressed goal of transitioning into an independent and sustainable sewing cooperative that is organized by women, for women battling HIV/AIDS. Due to the emergence of new governmental standards for economic development projects in Rwanda, it is our goal that the INEZA cooperative will serve as a strong model for other craft collectives throughout the country.

Towards this end, we worked to organize various training sessions as well as to develop INEZA’s infrastructure in order to streamline production, reduce costs and prepare for future growth. We held small workshops and training sessions to teach the women new sewing techniques and skills and contracted with outside consultants to provide the women with formal cooperative transformation training. In addition, we built a covered patio to expand the work area, purchased sewing equipment and reading glasses to help address problems with quality and to provide the women with a more comfortable working environment. By providing the women with the knowledge on how to run and manage a cooperative in conjunction with capacity building initiatives, this project has helped lay the foundation for INEZA to begin its transition towards financial independence and sustainability.

With the healthcare, limited training and financial support that the umbrella organization, WE-ACTx, has provided the women of INEZA over the past two years, the women’s health and wellbeing have improved significantly and many of these women have become leaders in their community, standing up for the rights of women infected with HIV/AIDS and serving as role models to survivors of genocidal rape and sexual violence. By investing in INEZA and ensuring its sustainability, this project is providing the women of INEZA with the tools needed to further improve their own lives while helping train partner associations on how to organize and run a successful cooperative.

Section II - Project implementation and implications:

When initiating this project, we believed that its long-term success was contingent on providing the women with a strong knowledge base as well as the physical space and tools needed to expand. Towards this end, while in Rwanda, we primarily focused on arranging artistic and education training sessions for the women, and introducing new designs that are geared towards the US market. In addition, we conducted numerous needs assessments to determine what resources were most important to purchase as well as how and where to find those resources.

Over the course of the summer, in addition to designing new patterns and training the women in new techniques, such as embroidery and clothes-making, we worked on quality control, focusing training sessions on cutting patterns and sewing heavy fabrics. The majority of quality issues originated in the cutting process, and subsequently, we designed and contracted the production of two custom-made cutting tables, which provided the women with a flat and high surface to use rather than the floor. This has significantly improved overall quality. In addition, we purchased one hard-liner sewing machine, which is used when sewing sturdy materials. We believe that this machine will help reduce some of the current quality problems resulting from inadequate equipment.

In regard to educational trainings, over the course of the summer, we worked to locate and connect with training groups in the area. We ultimately decided to contract with Centre Iwacu, a professional Rwandan company that specializes in helping low-resource groups develop viable, small-scale enterprises through cooperatives. The initial training was five days long, and was geared towards teaching the women the principles of a cooperative, how to manage finances using profit shares (a fundamental element of cooperatives), and how to market their line. It is our hope that this information will significantly help the women over the next 6 to 12 months as they work through the formal cooperative transformation process required by the national government. Furthermore, we have arranged for formal technical training for a member of the group to learn how to repair all of the machines. This training will ensure that the machines, which break down frequently, are running smoothly and will help reduce some of the current quality problems as well as the expense of paying for repairs. In addition, we are in the process of arranging English training for the women through Network for Africa, a charity group based in the UK, which has already established formal English programs in Kigali.

Regarding our budget, airfare expenses were quite high this summer as well as food costs, and as a result, we had a more limited budget than we previously anticipated. Subsequently, we conducted multiple needs based assessment and in conjunction with the women, determined what materials and trainings would be most helpful. In terms of cooperative transformation training, we explored contracting both with individual trainers and with large companies, and ultimately decided that Centre Iwacu would provide the most comprehensive as well as empowering training sessions, though they were significantly more expensive. More sewing machines as well as better lighting are still needed. However, it is our hope that the trainings and capacity building initiatives conducted over the summer will help to expand INEZA’s line and improve their sales so that they can independently afford to make these additional purchases in the near future.

One of the main lessons we learned over the course of the summer was the importance of regular reassessment. We quickly discovered that we took on more than we could handle in the short amount of time that we had, and as a result, we were forced on numerous occasions to alter our expectations and subsequently, our process. The women of INEZA all still struggle from illness and trauma and we therefore worked continually to ensure that we are creating a profitable business while maintaining a supportive community that is flexible, particularly when the women are sick for extended periods of time. Striking this balance significantly impacted our work over the summer, as we worked with the women to create a cooperative system that meets their needs and abilities. Recognizing that the long-term success and sustainability of INEZA was contingent on building a stronger foundational knowledge of how to create a line of products that is structurally sound and marketable as well as on how to organizationally manage a cooperative, we readjusted our plan to provide for more extensive artistic and informational training.

Though the full impact of this project cannot be realized for a few years to come, it is our hope that the work done over the summer has helped INEZA to take a large step towards financial independence. Despite the poor economy, US sales are growing and the new line produced over the summer received a sellout response at the New York Gift Show this past August. Furthermore, we believe that the training sessions have equipped the women with the necessary knowledge to complete the government’s official cooperative transformation process and that the women possess the artistic skills and vision to continue to create innovative lines that are marketable. As leaders in their communities, the women of INEZA are committed to expanding the cooperative to their dozens of friends who are living with HIV/AIDS and struggling to support themselves and their families. In addition, they are committed to sharing their knowledge and story with other women’s groups in the area who are working to become profitable cooperatives. Therefore, an investment in INEZA and in these women’s future is an investment in the women of Rwanda, a recognition of their strength and resilience to persevere and positively shape their lives and the lives of their families.

Women at Ineza, Rwanda

Margot Moinester (center), with women at the sewing cooperative

Left to Right, Sophie, the cooperative’s trainer, with Susan Younger

DAVIS PROJECTS FOR PEACE BUDGET

Project Expenses:

Cooperative Transformation Training $1000

One heavy duty machines $337

Reading glasses (around 25 pairs) $35

Materials for design experimentation $30

Training on sewing machine repair for Jean $300

Custom made large cutting table $294

Covered Patio $516

Total: $2,512

Fabric sourcing in Uganda:

Two visas ($50 each) $100

- This trip was primarily funded by WE-ACTx with the objective

to source cheaper materials for INEZA and reduce production costs.

Personal Expenses:

Two Flights to Kigali and back $2356.47

$2445.68

Inoculations $390

Housing for two: $1146

Local transport for two: $50

Per Diem expenses for two: $1000

Total: $7388.15

Overall Total: $10,000.15