Laurène Rwema Umutoni

"It is a sector many people don’t attach or see the actual value but we are delighted that the government has thought about us and it is encouraging for us to do even better so that more can be achieved in future."

"Starting from scratch was not easy, but I had a little experience in the industry and most significantly, passion for it. I knew we were going to struggle, but not for long, because Rwanda’s fashion industry grows day by day and so there’s always room for fresh ideas. We can learn from others and share different experiences"

"We met many challenges like all newborns in the industry, for instance, not knowing what the market demand was, not having advisors or mentors to guide us through the process, the shortage of fabric and even lack of adequate information in different training opportunities in the industry. And above everything, there was no solid salary to look forward to at the end of the month, instead, we were the ones who needed to keep working if we were to make any money,"

"If it’s possible, being self-employed is the best decision to make when you are still young. You get to take responsibility and gain experience through failure and tips from other people in the industry who have more experience"

"Customer care is very important. We give special treatment to our clients and make sure that they are comfortable when with us. We also make sure that we follow a client’s requirements word for word. We customise a few details on the clothes when a client asks for it and also offer delivery services,"

"This makes us proud knowing that the current pandemic has affected us but this initiative will ensure that our efforts as artistes are not in vain."