The National Employment Programme, through Rwanda Polytechnic, has allocated Rwf280 million for training 475 workers in Vision Garment, the mosquito net factory that will start production soon. The new factory targets to manufacture 1.7 million treated mosquito nets every month and 88 metric tonnes of garments after announcing an investment outlay of Rwf38 billion. After signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vision Garment, James Gashumba, the Vice Chancellor of Rwanda Polytechnic, said that 300 workers will get training in rapid response while 175 will benefit from the company’s internship with a target employ them later. “Seventeen of the factory’s employees will be taken to China to gain experience from one of 13 mosquito nets factories worldwide accredited to produce the nets,” he said. Gashumba added that building the capacities of the local human resources is part of the country’s strategies to promote made in Rwanda. “That is why so far we have supported over 2,800 workers from different garment factories through National Employment Programme of which 60 per cent are women,” he said. Jean-Bosco Minega Rwigema, the Chairperson of Vision Garment Ltd, said they will increase the number of workers to over 1,000 after the first quarter of their operations. “We have to produce at least 8 million mosquito nets per year for Rwandan market but might increase depending on the demand especially from outside countries, “he said. He said that some countries such as Angola, Zambia, and Nigeria which have been importing mosquito nets from Europe and Asia have pledged to order from Rwanda. editorial@newtimesrwanda.com
