Claudine - An extraordinary Woman

“I am considered an extraordinary woman. I am doing work usually done by men and women admire me for my courage and ideas.”

Claudine has led the way in her village of Cyarea, up high in the hills of Nyamagabe district. Her first business was cutting hair but when others in her area started to buy hair clipping machines she switched to milling grain in 2018. She still mills around 500kg of grain a month operating two machines - usually men’s work - but again as others in the area started to invest in machines, Claudine decided to open a food store in her village. During the 2021 COVID-19 lock-downs, Claudine invested in masks and hand sanitizer to keep trading, supplying her neighbors with household essentials.

Claudine is waiting for the electricity grid to extend to her village before considering her next business.