Bonita, 41 years old, owns a newly opened cookie bakery called Sugar and Spice.
Bonita’s business is a combination of her two passions: creating desserts and the Rwandan people. The idea behind Sugar and Spice was not only to create and sell sweets, but she also to provide the means for young Rwandan girls to support themselves without having to put themselves in dangerous or compromising situations. Bonita’s passion to help other draws from her own hardships in her life.
Originally from Canada, Bonita is now a citizen of both Canada and Rwanda. In 1993, she and her husband, a Rwandan, got married. Before living in Rwanda, they lived in Ethiopia for four years.
She currently has seven part-time employees. The bakery currently produces two types of cookies: sugar and spice. In the future, Bonita plans bake and sell designer cookies and cakes for all occasions. Bonita’s business goals include training her employees with the necessary skills, building a solid client base, expand to baking and selling cakes, and to eventually open a coffee shop that specializes in baed goods.
Through her PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS training, Bonita hopes to learn more about marketing, accounting and human resources.
Clementine, 40 years old, co-owns and operates Cook Kids, a children’s clothing and baby accessory store.
Starting out in her home, Clementine was soon able to move the business to a storefront. Clementine hopes to expand the business and server her clients better. By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, she hopes to learn new marketing and publicity skills.
BUSINESS: Alpha Foods (ketchup, juice and jam production)
Micheline, 29 years old, started her food processing business, Alpha Foods, in 2009.
After earning her degree in food science and technology, Micheline wanted to open her own business. She began saving money and making plans, but after starting a family, Micheline put her business plans aside.
But after several years, she decided to put her mind to the task, and start her business. After the tedious process of drafting her business plan, and then waiting a year to get approval on a loan, Micheline is finally in business, producing ketchup, fruit juices and jams. There are currently four employees, and clients include supermarkets and local wholesalers.
Micheline’s has specific business goals, including decreasing the cost of production in order to provide better prices to her consumers. She would also like to increase the company’s profits up to a gross margin of 55%. Overall, she would like to improve her product quality and authenticity.
She hopes to place all of her attention on her business once her loan is paid off and her profits increase.
Through her PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS training, Micheline hopes to learn more about accounting and management.
Honorine, 34 years old, has owned Eden Apartment for two years. The complex is made up of 12 rooms, with a self-contained sauna massage, hair salon and bar room for tenants only.
Honorine currently has 15 employees. Over the next five years, her business goals include maximizing her profit, improving customer service and expanding the complex to 16 rooms by 2011.
By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Honorine hopes to learn more about management skills, customer service.
Honorine believes that owning her own business has made her a stronger woman, and she hopes to help other women to start their own businesses.
Grease, 50 years old, took over the family business, Neja Cosmetics, about two years ago. However, the business has been in operation since 1994.
Neja Cosmetics imports and sells cosmetics, such as skin care products, soaps, hair products and fragrances. Grease sells her supplies to both individuals and salons. Currently, Neja Cosmetics has three shops and 14 employees. Grease’s future goals include not only selling her customers products, but also spa-like services, such as massages, manicures, pedicures and facials.
By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Grease hopes to improve upon her management skills in the areas of business, accounting, marketing and sales.
Grease says that surviving the genocide of 1994 has given her the strength to go on with her life, and though she remembers feeling as though she had no future right after the horrific tragedy, she knew that her second chance had a meaning.
“We must fight for what is ours and never give up.”
Hortense, 35 years old, co-owns Moriah Hill Resort, a beautiful get-away in Rwanda.
Hortense and her husband owned a small part of land on the shore of Lake Kivu. After building two small apartments on the land, they were able to secure a loan from the bank. The project grew into the resort it is today, which opened in July 2007. Moriah Hill Resort features 18 rooms, a restaurant, a conference hall that seats 120, and one motorized boat that holds eight passengers. There are also kayaks for the lake recreations.
Hortense currently has 28 employees at the resort. She has recently secured more land and plans to expand the resort from 18 to 68 rooms, a fitness facility, more water sports and an artisanal shop featuring handicrafts made by women in the region.
By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Hortense hopes to learn more about marketing her resorts and how to approach business challenges as they arise.
Hortense says that before starting her business, providing for five children was difficult, but her business has helped bring financial stability to her family.
BUSINESS: Intergraphic & Sport Style (sports equipment distributor)
Berthe, 50 years old, owns Intergraphic and Sport Style, a company that distributes sports equipment.
Berthe started working in a printing manufactory in 1996, but she was always thinking about what she could do with a business. So, in 2005, she opened her own business, which started out as a printing business, then grew to school furniture and then to schools’ sporting goods and equipment.
Products include balls, fitness accessories, protection wear, racket and water sports equipment, apparel bags and martial arts equipment. The company not only provides products to international schools, but it also does business with sports federation, the government and fitness clubs.
The company now has eight employees. Berthe’s company is the only one of its kind in Kigali, so she hopes to maximize on her business’ opportunities.
By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Berthe wants to do nothing but focus on business, business, business.
Outside of her business, Berthe is a member of the Private Sector Federation, and serves as second Vice President on the Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs.
Joy, 47 years old, co-owns Honest General Enterprise Limited, an import/export company.
Joy’s business originally stared as a retail shop in 1991. Six years later, the shop grew to a whole sale enterprise. Then in 2001, the business became a fully functional import/export company.
The business distributes goods to several multi-national companies, including British American Tobacco, Colgate-Palmolive East Africa Limited, SARA LEE Household and body care Kenya Limited, which manufactures shoe polish and hair products. Over the next five years, Joy hopes to maximize her operations to meet her customers’ demands and increase her profits.
By attending the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS training, Joy strongly believes that she will knowledge that will help her uplift her business and her entrepreneurial skills to greater heights. She is also eager to learn about becoming a more active public policy advocate. Joy says that she wants to be empowered about the different public policies that affect businesses, such as government structures, taxes, city, state and government rules governing business.
BUSINESS: Hallo Phone Store/Rwanda Heritage Tours & Travel Company
Molly, 35 years old, co-owns two businesses: mobile phone company and a tourism company, which offers transportation, hotel and ticket booking services.
Molly wanted to be a part of developing her country, as a citizen and as a woman.
Currently, Molly has 10 employees. Through her PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS training, she hopes to share knowledge and experiences with fellow businesswomen and learn how to improve her businesses.
Ariane, 30 years old, owns EVENT.ORG, which specializes in event management, specifically wedding planning.
She started her business when she realized that she wanted to have more freedom in what she did professionally, and she wanted to do something she was passionate about. Ariane noticed that wedding-planning was often a business-profession in other countries, and after some research, Ariane decided to join the trade. Ariane has owned her business for three years, and she has four employees.
Eventually, she would like her business to become a “one-stop shop,” for her customers, providing all necessary services without using outside vendors. She also wants to create a wedding magazine and host an annual wedding exhibition.
By attending PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, Ariane hopes to learn more about daily management, accounting, and how to recover more client payments.
‘Enterprising Women’ spotlights PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program and 2009 graduate
The latest issue of ‘Enterprising Women‘ showcases information regarding our 2011 PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program, as well as an in-depth article featuring Sarah Mukandutiye, a 2009 PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS graduate. Monica Smiley, publisher and CEO of the publication, has been a longtime supporter of the Institute. Click here to read Monica’s Publisher’s Note and the [...]
Nonprofit leader is working to help Afghan women, girls Q: What’s happening with the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council? You and other members recently met in Washington with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other dignitaries. A: The council was sanctioned in 2002 by President George W. Bush and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. I was appointed to [...]
Awards & honors Oklahoma City businesswoman Terry Neese was recognized last week with the 2010 Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Hall of fame award. The national award honors individuals, companies, and organizations that have demonstrated exemplary leadership and support in the success of women’s business initiatives //
Betty, a 2010 PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS graduate, co-owns Solidarity Academy School, a secondary private school in Rwanda. Mentored by Dr. Freda Deskin, Founder of ASTEC Charter School, Betty has been paying forward the education and training she received from our program and was kind enough to share it with us! Good morning Terry, I am [...]
Business hall of fame to honor Neese Terry Neese of Oklahoma City will be presented the 2010 Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame award on Thursday in Dallas. The national award honors individuals, companies, and organizations for leadership and support in the success of women’s business initiatives. “This is an exceptional award to bring home [...]
Oklahoma Lt. Governor Jari Askins receives Afghan gift
Lt. Governor Jari Askins accepted a hand-made, personalized soccer ball from Terry Neese, President, IEEW. Terry delivered the ball on behalf of 2007 PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS graduate Taj Sirat. Taj’s company, Greenway Manufacturing produces all types of balls, employing over 250 Afghan women. Taj wished to express her gratitude to Lt. Governor Askins for her [...]
NAME: Bonita Mwunvaneza
