Priscillah Ruzibuka
Priscillah Ruzibuka | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991 Rwanda |
| Nationality | Rwandan |
| Citizenship | Rwandan |
| Alma mater | Buena Vista University (Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication and Graphic Design) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1999 — present |
| Known for | Women empowerment and Ki-pepeo Kids Clothing |
| Title | Founder & Chief executive of Ki-pepeo Kids Clothing |
| Spouse | Single |
Priscillah Umutashya Ruzibuka (born 1991) is a Rwandan female entrepreneur who founded Ki-pepeo Kids Clothing, a social enterprise with the aim to help underprivileged women.[1]
Background[edit]
Priscillah Ruzibuka is the third child in a catholic Christian family. She is passionate about women empowerment and creating sustainable employment.[1] She was born in Rwanda while her family relocated to the neighboring country, Tanzania, and returned to Rwanda after.
Education[edit]
Priscillah holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Engineering from Multimedia University in Malaysia and a master's degree in Project management from Oklahoma Christian University located in the USA.[2]
Career[edit]
Priscillah Ruzibuka worked in the private sector as an employee for two years and has worked in various projects for different institutions and organizations before stepping towards being her own boss in January 2016. She currently works with former female street vendors, former housemaids[2] and other women form underprivileged communities to help them through her social enterprise, Ki-pepeo Kids Clothing. Ruzibuka trains the women in tailoring and lets them profit from the sale of the clothes by paying fair salaries.[3]
Inspiration[edit]
She has been inspired by their former housemaid who got a little help of tailoring training from Ruzibuka's mother and now she has become a big and known entrepreneur in Tanzania.[citation needed]
Ruzibuka believes that many women are still in poverty not because they don't have the capacity to work, but because they didn't get the education and materials they needed. Some lack simple tailoring machines, others don't have the capital to start small businesses. This is the reason behind the name Ki-pepeo (a Kiswahili word meaning "butterfly" in English), referring to the process of transformation from an rather unattractive caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly.
Grants and awards[edit]
- Startup grant of $800 from Akili Dada programs[1]
- Africa Business Idea Cup: Best business idea award[1]
- 5th place at the East Africa Regional Competition[1]
- Participant in the Business and Entrepreneurship Track of YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa[1]
- Pollination Project grant of $1000[4][1]
- Fund of $10,000 from the United States African Development Foundation[5]
- Queens Young Leaders 2018 winner[3]
Role models[edit]
Priscillahs biggest role model is her mother. She describes her as an exceptional leader, parent, friend and citizen and especially admires her work-life balance.[2] Strive Masiyiwam, a London-based Zimbabwe businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist has been an role model for Priscillah, as he has been able to build his dreams in sustainable businesses and his passion for giving back to the youth of Africa. Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, is also a role model to Priscillah because through consistency and perseverance, he has been able to build Rwanda to where it is today from the starting point.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g Julie Muriuki (2017-09-01). "Meet Priscilla Umutashya Ruzibuka - the creative mind behind Rwanda's first kid's clothing company". thelelaconsulting.com. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- ^ a b c d Admin (2017-06-07). "Meet... PRISCILLA RUZIBUKA". theafrikanlegacy.com. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- ^ a b "Queens Young Leaders – Winners 2018". queensyoungleaders.com. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- ^ "Priscilla Umutashya Ruzibuka, Ki-pepeo Kids Clothing". thepollinationproject.org. The Pollination Project. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- ^ "Rwanda – USADF Country Portfolio" (PDF). usdaf.gov. USDAF. Retrieved 2018-05-18.