Construct a Workshop for Female Artisans in Rwanda

HDI is lucky to have four interns from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill helping out this summer. Their work here at HDI will supplement the female artisan workshop in order to greatly strengthen the capacity of the Agaseke Cooperative.

The students will train the members of the cooperative in knitting skills. In addition to technical skills, the team has come prepared to teach entrepreneurship and financial skills; the specific skills they teach will be based on an initial assessment meeting.  These business trainings will provide the cooperative with the ability to manage their funds and will provide them with knowledge on successful leadership practices. 

The physical structure of the workshop will allow the cooperative a place to come together to use their knitting machines, to store the products cleanly, and to hold workshops and trainings for new member 

HDI would like to introduce the team working to train the cooperative.  They are beginning their trainings this week and will continue their work through the end of June. 

Connor Haines is a student at Kenan-Flagler Business and will be specifically working to help the Cyaruzinge village establish sustainable business practices. He enjoys applying the skills he has developed at UNC and through a previous consulting internship in an exciting new setting here in Rwanda. 

Rachel Kleiman is studying both Environmental Science and Public Health and will be teaching the women of the Agaseke cooperative how to knit. Her knitting skills include socks and sweaters.  By diversifying the skill set of the cooperative members, she looks forward to using a craft to implement social change. 

Hannah Sloan is interested in the STEM fields and the humanities and was first exposed to the world of business when she and her friends started a local social venture targeting food waste.  She will being using her perspectives gained through this experience to address the entrepreneurship needs of the cooperative and looks forward to developing a more pragmatic understanding of NGO work on a community level. 

Sarah Wright is studying Environmental Health Science and Global Studies and will being using her knitting skills, especially creating hats and shawls to expand the skill set of the Agaseke cooperative.  She will be using her interest and skills as a creative outlet to combine craftsmanship with sustainable development and its connection to the health of a population.