By Alice DUSABIMANA

Urugo Women's Opportunity Center is an innovative social enterprise founded by Women for Women International in 2013, courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies and other donors. The center has created a secure environment in which vulnerable women find support, access resources and develop life changing skills.

The handmade weavers at Urugo are talented women equipped with resources and space to develop their skills and make art pieces that are sold at the Urugo Gift Shop.

BUSINGYE Edouard, who weave baskets and create traditional decoration (Imigongo), paintings and also teach visiting tourists how to make the crafts.

“It is a creative art that is inspiring to realize how much a woman can do. I will certainly try this at home though it will be hard to get the materials used,” said, Anna.

Vivian Kayihura Kayitesi, the Center’s Executive Director says that it has empowered women and many of the key income-generating projects are expected to expand production to pay salaries and utilities.

Urugo Women's Opportunity is a hub for women's entrepreneurship, a space of learning, a resource for the community and a model of an environmentally conscious design. A source of inspirational stories.

The Center opened in 2013 to provide vocational and life skills training for women through craft spaces where they work, produce, sell in cooperatives, and save income.