Having lived in Belgium for the bigger part of their lives, siblings Bonette Uwera and Josyne Umubyeyi who are one year apart in age, recently returned to their home country, which they say has always been their wish. 25-year-old Uwera and 24-year-old Umubyeyi’s intimate bond is visible from afar—they crack jokes and laugh throughout the day. Their proficiency in Kinyarwanda is quite good, given that they’ve only been in Rwanda for two years. Investing in Rwanda Uwera, now a mother, was just three years old when their parents relocated to Belgium. “I actually didn’t have any problems living in Belgium. It seemed like home because, at the end of the day, it’s all I’d known all my life. Umubyeyi ready to send out a delivery. “However, there was something about Rwanda that made me feel different every time I came on vacation,” she says, adding, “So I decided to live in Rwanda and build a life for myself here.” Umubyeyi says that being an entrepreneur has not always been the plan, but she shares her sister’s sentiments about settling in Rwanda. “Even if business was not on my mind before, Bonette and I shared a deep love for fashion as far as I can recall. We were the fashionistas at home, always choosing outfits for our other three sisters. “So when we decided to start our own clothing store, it had to be in Rwanda by all means,” she remarks confidently. “I got married in 2020 and that’s when we permanently moved to Rwanda” says Uwera. And so the business, Queens’ House, opened shortly after, Umubyeyi adds. Starting a business Uwera and Umubyeyi, as close as they are, also share a Facebook nickname, ‘Queen’. So when the idea for the business came up, the two agreed that it had to represent something that relates to them. “The name seemed obvious,” they say in unison. Inside the store. When Queens’ House first launched in 2021, it was only available online. “We’d get orders from our Instagram page and then deliver them. We only recently decided to open a store,” Uwera explains. “The delay in launching the store was primarily due to lack of securing the perfect location for our business,” Umubyeyi adds. The fashion house, located in Kimihurura, is currently a boutique for women’s dresses and men’s shirts, with prices ranging from Rwf65, 000 to Rwf120, 000. “I think this venue is as exquisite as our outfits,’ Umubyeyi says with a huge smile. When asked about their somewhat high costs, the two sisters say, “We aim to manufacture outfits with premium fabrics, which come at a certain price. We are not excluding anyone.” Umubyeyi adds, “But if you can afford it, we want you to look elegant and classy in unique clothing.” “It’s more than rewarding to contribute to the idea of Made in Rwanda in a domain I’m enthusiastic about,” Uwera says, adding that they employ six tailors and plan to hire more. Being supporters of women empowerment, the sisters say the majority of their personnel are Rwandan women, with hope that as they go on, they can provide more job opportunities for women. The two affirm that it was not difficult for them to start their business in Rwanda. “As part of the youth, we feel empowered and supported to invest in our own country,” Uwera remarks. Umubyeyi says that the company’s goal is to sell to a larger network and develop internationally. “I want to encourage both Rwandan youth at home and in the Diaspora to pursue their dreams and passions. I dare them to take the first step, and their country will step in to help,” she says.
