Masons in Musanze District are in the process of   mobilizing financial resources to set up a Rwf500 million factory in Musanze industrial zone so as to produce pavers from ‘Amakoro or Volcanic rocks’.

Volcanic rocks are rocks formed from lava erupted from a volcano. These are stones formed by solidification of volcano lava. These types of stones are available in Northern and Western Provinces along the volcanoes.

The kind of precious stones have stayed as an untapped business for many years.

The pavers, they produce from these stones, are used to pave grounds, walls, roads, and are also used as bricks among many others.

The two masons who started the project in 2017 formed the company dubbed "EN-HAQQORE”.

Wilson Ndekezi Igiraneza, in charge of human resources at the company said that the masons used Rwf15 million savings they had collected as masons over the years to start the business of producing pavers from volcanic rocks.

 "The idea to turn volcanic rocks into the much-sought construction blocks came from the spirit to create our own jobs and promote locally produced materials. Because locals did not value volcanic rocks, we had to tap into such opportunities,” he said.

Rwanda launched the Made in Rwanda campaign in 2015.

He said that the masons produce pavers by using machines (crushers) that they locally make on their own.

"The machines we use are the ones we made on our own. It requires Rwf1.7 million to produce one machine,” he said.

Currently, he said, they have 24 machines.

The factory, he said, employs 40 people per day and produces 70 square metres of pavers per day.

"We sell one square metre at Rwf11, 000,” he said.

Pavers are part of the construction blocks needed in all districts of Rwanda.

"That is why we are planning to build a big factory in an industrial zone in Musanze District and we are trying to raise at least Rwf500 million as investment capital. We already have an electrical transformer to supply us electricity,” he said.

The factory will also be constructed using blocks from volcanic rocks so as to double production.

He said that the factory will have the capacity to produce 500 square metres of pavers per day.

"This is set to reduce construction materials imports,” he said adding that volcanic rocks can also be exported.

Producing aggregates

The remains of processed volcanic rocks are produced into aggregates

Aggregates are like gravels produced from crushing stones and are used in construction with concrete.

"The new factory will have capacity to produce 100 cubic metres of aggregates,” he said.

Straton Turatsinze, the head of the Private Sector Federation in Musanze District said that pavers from volcanic rocks are cheaper than other types of pavers.

"For instance, one square metre of other types of pavers is sold at between Rwf8, 000 and Rwf12, 000. But one square metre of paver from volcanic rock is sold at Rwf12, 000 for any measurement which can even be over one square metre. This is a timely innovation,” he said.

Pavers and aggregates are not only products that are locally made from volcanic rocks.

They are also carved to make cooking stoves.

KOHIA is a cooperative that exploits ‘Amakoro’, a stone formed by solidification of volcano lava to male cooking stoves.

The cooperative can make up to 600 stoves upon demand.