Partner Spotlight: KICI Rwanda, Muhanga’s Artisans

Muhanga - KICI Rwanda

Made in Rwanda

Based in

Gisenyi, Rwanda

Number of artisans

What started with just two artisans during COVID-19 has now grown into a network of 400 women—with a goal of reaching 1,000 artisans in the next five years.

What does art mean to us?

Art means expressing or communicating thoughts and imagination through something creative.

What does empowerment mean to us?

Empowerment means promoting women's sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and the confidence to make and act on decisions about the control and allocation of financial resources.

What does transparency mean to us?

Transparency is about being open and honest so that clients, partners, and third parties can trust us.

Claudine (Kigali/Muhanga)

Kicirwanda is a women-led initiative founded in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. It all started when Claudine (insert last name) lost her job, and decided to turn her passion of artisanship and handcrafts into a business. Starting out with just two artisans, she began selling their work through social media.

Claudine travelled to rural villages to find women interested in weaving and provided them with training. Through her initiative, women are able to support their families and pay for essential needs such as medical insurance and school fees.

Through developing these technical weaving, these communities of women have not only been empowered to not only create beautiful handcrafted pieces, but they have also strengthened their roles in their families and their community.