Meet the Teachers Meet the Manager Meet the Knitters

MEET THE TEACHERS

Rwanda Knits' Teachers

Rwanda Knits has 6 traveling teachers whose job it is to travel the country to teach the recipient groups how to use the machines.

Cari Clement - Teaching the Teachers

These talented women did not have any income prior to the Rwanda Knits program, but are now knitting for income as well as teaching. They stay in touch with each other through their mobile phones which they have been able to purchase from their earnings.

Cari Clement travels to Rwanda regularly and conducts technical and QC training for the teachers who then teach the techniques to the knitters at each of the cooperatives.

THE STORIES OF TWO TEACHERS

Esperance Nyirarusimbi

Esperance Nyirarusimbe

Esperance, now 26, her sister and one brother were the only members of her family who survived the Genocide by hiding in the woods near her home. For three months, she and her sister would only hunt for food at night, returning to the forest during the day. After the Genocide was over, she learned her brother had survived as well. He recounted to her how their father and many family members were killed. Esperance now lives with her brother and, until Rwanda Knits, survived by subsistence farming on her father's land. Before Rwanda Knits, Esperance had no income. Since the Rwanda Knits project officially began in June of 2005, Esperance has made 480,000 frw (or $850). This in a country whose per capita income is just over $1 per day.

Emacule Iribagiza

Emacule Iribagiza

Emacule was born in Congo of Rwandan parents.  She returned to Rwanda just after the 1994 Genocide and worked for UNHCR at a refugee camp for Congolese in Gihembe.  This is how Cari met her.  Later, she decided to become one of Rwanda Knits’ teachers as she had trained a number of refugees on using the machines.  Emacule is now part of the Urumuri cooperative and serves as Urumuri’s (and Rwanda Knits’) Education Director and Quality Control Trainer.  Emacule is married and has one young daughter.

Rwanda Knits' other teachers are:

Furaha Mukamusoni Urene Kabagire Theodesie Mukayisenga Emerita Uwamariya
Furaha
Mukamusoni		 Irene
Kabagire		 Theodosie
Mukayisenga		 Emerita
Uwamariya

 

Business Training Graduates

In May, 2006, the Rwanda Knits teachers were honored with a Teaching Certificate and a certificate of business training completion.

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MEET THE MANAGER

Geofrey Katushabe, Rwanda Knits' Project Manager

Geofrey helping a knitter at AVEGA Geofrey working with Furaha at AVVAIS Cari Clement & Geofrey Katushabe
Geofrey helping a knitter at AVEGA Geofrey working with Furaha at AVVAIS Cari Clement & Geofrey Katushabe

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MEET THE KNITTERS

There are 29 knitting cooperatives that are part of the Rwanda Knits project. The section below lists each cooperative and gives you a glimpse into the knitters' lives and learning. While we do not have photos of each of the 29 cooperatives, we will be adding them as they become available.

ABASA

Butare

Southern Province		 ABASA, Butare
URUMURI ("Light")

(Members of AVEGA — Association of Widows from the April, 1994 Genocide)

Nyagasambu, Kigali City		   AVEGA, Kigali
TWIZAMURE ("Let's Lift Ourselves Up")

(Members of AVEGA)

Rwamagana

Eastern Province		   AVEGA, Rwamagana
AVEGA

Gisenyi		   AVEGA, Gisenyi
SUSURUKA AVVAIS ("The Stainless")

(Members of Association of Widows Affected by and Infected with HIV/AIDS)

Nyamirambo, Kigali City		   AVVAIS, Nyamirambo, Kigali City
IHORERE AVVAIS ("Empathy")

(Member of Association of Widows Affected by and Infected with HIV/AIDS)

Gacuriro, Kigali City		   IHORERE AVVAIS, Gacuriro, Kigali City
URURANA AVVAIS ("Working Together")

(Member of Association of Widows Affected by and Infected with HIV/AIDS)

Southern Province		   URURANA AVVAIS, Southern Province
UBUMWE AVVAIS ("Together As One")

(Member of Association of Widows Affected by and Infected with HIV/AIDS)

Southern Province		   UBUMWE AVVAIS, Southern Province
ABIYUNZE AVVAIS ("Unity")

(Member of Association of Widows Affected by and Infected with HIV/AIDS)

Eastern Province		   ABIYUNZE AVVAIS, Eastern Province
WISIGARINYU AVVAIS ("Don't Stay Behind")

(Member of Association of Widows Affected by and Infected with HIV/AIDS)

Southern Province		   WISIGARINYU AVVAIS, Southern Province
BENIMPUHWE ("Those with Mercy")

Nyamirambo, Kigali City		   BENIMPUHWE, Nyamirambo, Kigali City
BUHORO

Gitarama

Southern Province		   BUHORO, Gitarama, Southern Province
DIANA FOSSEY (4 cooperatives)

Ruhengeri

Northern Province		   DIANA FOSSEY, Ruhengeri, Northern Province
DUHOZANYE ("Sympathize with Each Other")

Butare

Southern Province		   DUHOZANYE, Butare, Southern Province
MPORE MAMA

Kacyicu, Kigali City 		  IMPORE, Kacyicu area, Kigali
GITARAMA WOMEN

Gitarama

Southern Province		   GITARAMA WOMEN, Gitarama, Southern Province
MBWIRANDUMVA

Kigali		   MBWIRANDUMVA, Kigali
NYAGARATARE WOMEN

Nyagatare

Eastern Province		   NYAGARATARE WOMEN, Nyagatare, Eastern Province
RWANDA WOMEN NETWORK

Village of Hope, Kigali City 		  RWANDA WOMEN NETWORK, Village of Hope, Kigali
UMUCYO ("Bright Light")

(Members of WOMEN FOR WOMEN)

Kigali City		   UMUCYO, Kigali City
DUKUNDANE ("Let's Love Each Other")

(Members of WOMEN FOR WOMEN)

Kigali City		   DUKUNDANE, Kigali City
URUMURI RURUKUNDO ("Love Light")

Kibungo

Western Province		   URUMURI RURUKUNDO, Kibungo, Western Province
HOSIANA ("Praise")

Kigali City		   HOSIANA, Kigali City
INSHUTI ZARUBANDA ("Friends of All")

Ntashyo

Eastern Province		   INSHUTI ZARUBANDA, Ntashyo, Eastern Province
DUHUGURANE ("Let's Learn from Each Other")

Rwamagana

Eastern Province		   DUHUGURANE, Rwamagana, Eastern Province
MILLENIUM VILLAGE

Myange, Bugesera

Southern Province		   MILLENIUM VILLAGE, Myange, Bugesera, Southern Province

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The Organization

Rwanda Knits is part of the Centers for Social Responsibility (CSR), a registered 501c3 nonprofit corporation. All contributions are tax deductible.