Indego Africa & Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative

As you may have heard, Indego Africa is proud to announce that Emelienne Nyiramana, Treasurer and Master Seamstress at Indego Africa’s partner cooperative Cocoki, has been admitted to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative program at the School of Finance & Banking in Kigali. Emelienne started the six-month Entrepreneurship Certificate Program this July.

Less than three years ago Emelienne, 33, carried water 17 kilometers a day for 25 cents to support her five children, including an orphan from the 1994 Genocide. Today, as a result of her hard work and Cocoki’s ground-breaking partnership with Indego Africa, Emelienne’s life is dramatically different. Cocoki now sells its masterful accessories and home décor crafts to more than 30 high-end retailers across the U.S. and on Indego Africa’s Webstore. Cocoki’s wine bottle bags and wine coasters were even featured in Food & Wine Magazine (article here). Emelienne now earns more than $4 a day and is brimming with pride and confidence.

“I am one of the founding members of Cocoki,” said Emelienne. “It started with so many problems, but with our increasing sales and Indego Africa’s training programs in financial management, entrepreneurship, literacy, and computers, it has grown into a business that makes us proud. Now I can also buy little things when I want to and save some money too.”

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative is a $100 million, five-year campaign to provide 10,000 underserved women around the world with a business and management education. Emelienne’s personal achievement represents the kind of transformational impact that Indego Africa seeks to achieve as an organization. “Indego Africa helped me know my responsibilities as a leader,” Emelienne said.

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship Certificate Program in Rwanda is organized by the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan in partnership with Rwanda’s School of Finance & Banking. The program, which includes rigorous classes, mentoring, and an extensive business plan competition, equips women with the knowledge and skills needed to expand a successful enterprise in Rwanda.

Go Emelienne!

- Ben