Success Stories

RPPD(Rwanda Public Private Dialogue)leads to improved business conditions for women

> 24 July 2014

Claudine Nyirakanyana is looking around, hoping to sell her fruits to the people passing by while keeping a careful watch for the police, since selling in the streets is illegal. She is 34 years old and the mother of 4 kids, and her family is entirely dependent on her sales activities as her husband is unemployed. “I know I should be paying taxes as any other business person”, she says, “but we can’t afford to buy or rent a place in the market. It is too expensive. However; I have faith that with PPD; we are going in the right direction.”
Claudine could not believe it when she attended her first dialogue meeting with government officials. She and her fellow women were able to explain the problem of the informality of her business, and the risks they face daily as a result. They were surprised to see that their issues were taken seriously and brought to the Mayor of Musanze for further consultation. “We always thought that our problems are too insignificant, that is why we couldn’t approach the authorities for support. The dialogue helped us to speak up and present our issues to government. Thanks to PPD we expect to effectively organize ourselves through a cooperative and generate sustainable income.”
At the PPD dialogue meeting between the women’s representatives and the public authorities on June 13, 2014, the women decided to create a cooperative which would allow them to operate a sales booth at the local market.

By Joie-Grace RUZIBIZA,GIZ Communications Expert