As a young boy, Clement Gutunga always knew he would one day become a business person, just like his mother. However, he wasn’t sure how this would happen until he joined secondary school. How it all started Back in high school, Gutunga started developing an interest in fashion; he would admire well-dressed teachers and anyone who sported a classy outfit. To develop and build on his passion for fashion, he started to partner with owners of some local shops around the school. “I would get clothes from different shops; sell them to my fellow students and to other people outside the school, especially during the weekends. I would get a discount from every sale I made,” he says. Apart from loving what he was doing, he was able to make some little money from it, to cater for his upkeep while at school. The ‘hustle’ didn’t stop there, as he continued even after joining campus. While at the University, he hawked different attires in different offices within Kigali, and also partnered with a few shops in Kigali earning discounts on every single sale he would make. “I used to move around with my school bag with clothes and books inside, I would deliver clothes to different customers during breaks, before and after classes,” he said. He later created a network of clients on different social media platforms where he would recieve more orders. A year before completing university, he managed to secure a permanent retail space in Remera with the profit made from his sales. After completing school in 2017, he had accumulated enough savings enabling him move to Central Business District at Makuza Plaza where he is based currently as a boutique owner. Surviving the Genocide When the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi started, Gutunga was living in Ruhango District with his family of eight. As many other Tutsi’s, his family feared for the worst, the whole community was surrounded by killers. Since there was nowhere to run to, his father decided that they stay in the house and wait for their fate. After three days locked in their house, the Interahamwe arrived, took his father together with other men away to be killed. With his mother, they managed to escape on that day and found refuge. After the Genocide, his mother started a small bakery business that she would tireless work to ensure they are fed, and get other basic needs. “I think this enabled me to develop some survival skills from my mother’s business, as sometimes I would help out where there was a need. This inspired me to work hard and not only to be independent but also to help my younger siblings,” he said. Through the business, he said he gained some experience in selling which inspired him to do the same. Moving forward After the Genocide, with the help of FARG (the Genocide Survivors Assistance Fund), Gutunga managed to pursue his secondary and university education. Gutunga, who holds a bachelor degree in business administration, is now running his own boutique, selling clothes, shoes and other related products specifically for men. Aside from this, he has now taken on a role in mentoring some young entrepreneurs who are still in school with a passion for doing business. “I help them learn how to juggle working and studying, which when not well mentored, can inconvenience one’s studies in general,” he says. Gutunga is grateful because he can now cater to his needs and provide for his mother and the siblings. His future plans include opening up a wholesale for attire and fashion items for other group of people as well. --
