When Honorine Mugorewase completed her studies she got a good job at a foreign import company but was never content as she always wanted to work for herself.
Equipped with experience from the pharmaceutical import business, Mugorewase in 2012 felt ready and confident to start on her own with the urge as a Rwandan lady to do what most felt women could not do.
She started MNR East Africa Ltd, to venture into pharmaceuticals and commencing small with only three workers, the idea was self employment and to create jobs for the youth thus proving that Rwandan women are capable to being entrepreneurs.
Mugorewase explains that, the start was challenging with very little capital that could only purchase limited products but with enterprising ideas to develop and expand. Today, the company has grown big and can afford to handle bigger government tenders.
Currently, MNR East Africa has eleven permanent workers, and the company has established itself in the country and has clients coming from neighbouring countries like DR Congo as well as Burundi.
Nevertheless, Mugorewase has ambitions to expand the business far beyond Rwanda and East Africa.
She notes that, the Rwandan leadership having promoted gender equality and supports women in undertaking different initiatives has given them more confidence and to believe in themselves.
Women are endowed with immense capacity, some only lack willingness to put it to good use. They are capable and when they work hard its possible to achieve their wildest dreams while fulfilling their domestic obligations.
Mugorewase calls upon young women to be more confident in what they want to do and they will reach where they want to go. She advises that if a girl starts up a company, support her because she is able and catalyse the development of the country.
While we still live in a patriarchal society, whose mindset understands that only man has to engage in income generating activities, things are changing and hopefully we will overcome, she says.
With regard to national development, women entrepreneurs are greatly contributing through payment of taxes, offering employment opportunities and more engaged in production in different sectors which is speeding up development.
Mugorewase concludes that, as this year’s theme on the women’s International Day states, “Gender Equality Today, for a Sustainable Tomorrow,” this implies that even the young people should be concerned, if there is equality today, it will pave way for a sustainable and better tomorrow.
