Viola Niyongere’s company produces sandals from knitting threads

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Viola Niyongere is from Gitega commune, Gitega province and Rutegama hill. She is married. She told us that she started that project alone, but after having many customers, she trained another personsto give her a hand. After some days, the offers were not sufficient for clients, then she hired other staff and now they are eight.

After finishing my University studies, I started entrepreneurship. I was selling clothes. I discovered that throughout knitting threads and make sandals, I can profit from them. By the way, I learned the profession of knitting when I was in primary. I started with only one sewing thread. I began with making bracelets and earrings because these were the things I was able to make at the time. At the end of the time, I knew that from sewing threads I can make other more important and valuable things than the previous ones.”

Viola and her co-workers appreciate the results from their company because they satisfy their every dayneeds. In addition to that, they provide themselves in particular and contribute to the country’s development through taxes, in general.

Note that Viola Niyongere was one among five young entrepreneurs who were awarded after winning the competition organized by the bank BGF in March 28 to 31, 2021.

Problems never lack. Viola said that, most of the time, they lack enough capital, the lack of wanted colors, they use to order because they don’t have means to arrive where they can afford them. This inflation also takes part in the lack of clients.

She advises women to work hard. « We need many things in our families. Then, it is not good to sit home comfortably with nothing to do. When we work, we’re helping ourselves and families to live. »

And for youths, she said the matter of fact is fear. « They don’t dare to attempt starting a business, they put foremost problems and forget that there are advantages. I invite them to try and once they fail, to strengthen where they failed, nothing it requires apart from courage”.

Etienne Ndayikengurutse

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