Huye District Carpenters share tools to improve their products

Jerome Nsengimana is a carpenter based in Huye District, he has a workshop called” La Verticale”. The lack of modern equipment is also one of their biggest challenges and a great barrier to the development of the carpentry profession. According to him, local        carpenters are able to produce very innovative products if only they can have access to the modern equipment.

This is one of the issues that are being discussed in the nucleus group and as a temporary solution; they are hiring from each other the tools and equipment whenever they need to. This allows members to increase their production as the available resources are shared in a group.

”Before joining nucleus, I used to produce ordinary products, chair, bed or table and I was not getting many clients, but with the group, I gained more knowledge on how to do better designs, with the study tours and   training, I became more innovative. I have new designs and people love them. My productions have increased and so is my turn over up to 40%. I am now able to hire 1 support staff and regularly, I hire 5 temporally people depending on the jobs I get”  He says.

Jerome testifies that being in a group has opened his mind to new possibilities, he is now thinking about expanding and creating more designs. 

Carpenters in Muhanga, Rwanda are improving their business

Finding the appropriate equipment to modernize their production is the main challenge of the carpenters in Rwanda. John TABARO has been a carpenter for 7 years; he lives in Muhanga  District and has a small workshop room   “La Finesse”. He is part of   Nucleus group of carpenters and one of the fast growing members. “Being in a nucleus group have helped me to develop   faster, I got new clients and consequently hired 3 people to support me. I came to believe that when we work together all things are possible” he says

Before joining nucleus group, Tabaro was working alone and the business was running low, the money he was earning served only to cater  for his basic needs. However, things changed when he joined the group, he got training on CEFE and skills on how to better manage his business and went in study tours to  other  carpenters in Gisenyi where he learned new ways of treating wood. also regularly, as a group they visit schools and  hospitals to sensitize people to buy locally made furniture.

Today, Tabaro is a changed man, he is now looking for new  clients across the country, and his production style is changed, modernized and sold in different districts. Where he used to earn 80,000 Rwf per month, he is now earning 300,000 Rwf. He hired 3 employees and temporally, he gives jobs to 2 people.