The root of sustainability started with home grown solutiuons whereby the entreprise and its owner Sina Gerard chose to work with neighbours by venturing in agribusiness.
All his products are manufactured with proper hygiene and aroma for human consumption, starting from Urwibutso, the donut from sweet potatoes and various juice products from fruits including Agashya.
“We also considered people who like alcholic beverages and we produced banana based-wine.” He said.
Apart from the quality, the entreprise ensures hygiene and affordability of the products to every category of communities.
“I do not leave anyone behind in terms of price accessibility. Being poor, rich, leaders, all of them can afford our prices as they are set differently basing on the product size. For example we have Akabanga of 20ml as well as the one of 100ml.”
Establishing the school to teach service delivery
In 2003, SINA GERARD established a school dubbed ‘College Fondation Sina Gérard” to not only foster the development of agribusiness but also to prepare strong personnel who will deliver good service.
The school trains students in food processing, carpentry, hair dressing, sewing, welding, and mechanics among othres. Students get internship opportunity within the Entreprise Urwibutso to gain practical skills.
The school enrolls 600 students every year and has now over 2000 students. SINA Gerard always strives for enough and quality products for exports after serving the local markets.
“Yes, we first satisfy our local markets and then go to international markets. We have markets in East African countries and in other African countries, in Europe like in Belgium, France, German, United Kingdom, Holland, Canada in United States, and in China.” He said.
The enterprise employs 1000 casual staff in Rwanda and over 500 personeel abroad. Sina Gerad targets to expand the services with improved technologies in five years ahead.
“I want to take the enterprise to another good step, we will bring more modern machines and some of my stiudents will be graduating in Masters programmes, I expect some good staff from them,” he noted, adding that he expect to benefit from the African continental free trade area (AfCFTA), the african market that links up all african traders.
The Express News
