A few years ago, Soeur Josephine was in hospital, very sick. She told me she was waiting for the end. But it was not yet her turn... Instead she had a vision... Why not start a sewing workshop to help some young girls in the Muganza community who had dropped out of school to do something fulfilling and income producing. Soeur Josephine recovered fully, left the hospital and followed her dream. No money, no space where to set up the workshop, no sewing machine: only minor obstacles for Soeur Josephine! She eventually found one machine, Abana donated a few more, she found a room to let next to the Health Centre where she lives, rented it very cheaply from the church to which it belongs. She trained five or six ‘girls’ (as she call them) who were keen, who felt proud, who learned fast. Quickly they made enough money to buy their own machines to continue their business and train six new ‘girls’ on the now training sewing machines. The ball was rolling. The sewing project is flourishing today. They will sew the uniforms that Abana will buy every year to those children who can’t afford the 9 $ it costs. A win-win system for everybody. A good business plan, Bill Gates you’ve got competition...
On my second visit to Kigali, I bought some material to have a couple of shirts sewn by the ‘girls’. They did a great job and I have vowed that to have a warm thought for them and Soeur Josephine whenever I will wear them. Soeur Josephine has also embarked on another project: helping all the handicapped children in the area... children who are usually ostracized and who are definitely ‘at risk’. This is not a money making business, this is a purely altruistic, money costing operation, but she is as ‘successful’ here as she was with the sewing project. She recently told me that there is a small business opportunity for hair salons run by local young men...
Dick Smith, you think you are an entrepreneur.. Too bad I am balding.
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