AssinatiUwanyirigira did not go to school to learn arts and she is now a good artist of beading and is self-employed.
Beading arts is art activity that uses beads to produce different materials such as necklaces, coloured sticks, etc.
A bead is a small, decorative object that is formed in a variety of shapes and sizes of a material such as stone, bone, shell, glass, plastic, wood or pearl and that a small hole is drilled for threading or stringing
Uwanyirigirawho lives in Bumbogo Sector, Gasabo District in Kigali city has applied to make artworks of beads and other materials by herself as she did not learn it from any school.
“I did not learn it in school, my dream was to make artworks and I have been doing this since February, 2011 until today. I do beading arts to make necklaces for men and women, tables ibitambaro. Since 2018, I started also doing decoration.” She said.
The mother of four children said her business ideas and practice started in 1999 where she was owner of a hair dressing saloon in Kimoronko. Later alone, she was selling second hand clothes and after, she engaged herself in artworks business where she used to sell products made by others.
Motivation
Her inspiration stared from the business of selling artworks as she realized she could do artworks by herself.
“I was inspired by an old woman whose business was beading art of sticks. I asked her to help me know how the things are done, she gave me a stick to apply beading art on it and I performed better. From there, I bought beads, a needle and a needle to make my artworks, the next day she took me to their cooperative of old women to enable me learn more.
While in the cooperative, Uwanyirigiraalso make good performance. The cooperative had to participate in a competition. Before the end of year, in August 2011, they were not ready to enter the competition but I encouraged them because I was ready, I, myself entered the competition and won the third place at national level and I was given a trophy.” She said.
This artist was trusted by Kigali city to train other women, where they trained 74 women in Gatsata.
“This was an added value to my work and I was trusted to help them market their artwork,” she said.
Today, Uwanyirigira can handle some family issue with her income .
She advice other women and people ingeneral to not fear investing in something. Herself invested the knowledge and energy, plus little money to buy equipment. She invested only Rwf50,000 which increased gradually since her business get to another step.
“I used to approach women and tell them to think on what they can do to support their families. There is a huge discrepancy between a woman who does not work and another who is working, the one who does not work cannot also think and open her mind for other opportunities around apart from being at home,” she said.
Her income varies depending on the season, forexample during the wedding period when people need decoration and artwork products.
“I encourage artists to keep up working and make quality products, the do not have to fear market shortage. You can work and try tape into various markets to make money. I thank our country that encourages women to work and be self-reliant,” Uwanyirigira noted.
Her artworks are sold locally and she has some clients from abroad.
Uwanyirigira’s Weeding Decoration
The Express News
