Women from several social groups in Kigali have welcomed a new project that seeks to teach them multimedia skills in video and photography. The project championed by Kemit, a non-profit organisation specialising in filmmaking, was launched last week in Kigali. The three-year visual arts project dubbed; Face Of Life, will target needy women with a major aim of improving their livelihoods. The project themed; “Giving Voice to Women” is sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation and is based in Gikondo, Kigali. The beneficiaries were selected from different community groups in Gasabo, Kicukiro, in Kigali and Tumba in Huye District. Participants were asked to come up with relevant topics they can film and photograph. The Commonwealth Foundation will inject 30,000 pounds into the project annually while Kemit has budgeted Rwf60 million for equipment and staff salaries. It will benefit 120 women by the end of the three years. Felecia Kabahire, a vendor from Kicukiro said: “I intend to use these three years to learn photography and video skills. I hope to use the skills to generate income.” Verediane Mukakimani, a tailor said she used to teach people tailoring and they would go open up their own shops. “I have several projects. If I add on these skills, I am sure I and my group will develop more,” Mukakimani said. Speaking at the launch of the project, Restituta Mukantagara, the National Secretary for Women Development and Gender Equity at the Rwandese Socialist Labour Party, urged women to embrace such projects. “When a woman develops society develops,” she said. Speaking to The New Times Francois Woukoache, the founder of Kemit said their previous projects had focused on Genocide and reconciliation but now they want to handle other social issues like reaching out to less privileged women from the communities. Woukoache added that the training will focus on challenges women face and the resulting multimedia content will be generated to address such challenges. Kemit has produced film projects before such as Icyizere and Igicucu n’Urumuri. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
