• Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a British Rwandan. I live in Newcastle, UK. I am married and have an adorable son who turns 4 in March. I enjoy having a laugh with friends, love the cinema though I don’t get the time anymore. I also confess to being a shoe-aholic but think I am on the road to recovery!

• How did you come about starting Beauty of Rwanda?

The hard working women weavers of Rwanda inspired me to start Beauty of Rwanda. They have an amazing skill and produce beautiful crafts. It is so unfortunate that most of their finished work is not sold in many places. I am hoping to change that. One of my dreams is to at least get one piece of craft in each household (worldwide)

• What was the driving motivation to start BoR? Was it just to make money or is there more?

I am very passionate about Rwanda… I love my country and have always known that there was something I could do to change or help my fellow Rwandans but just didn’t know what. When I stumbled upon the weavers it was like having an epiphany! I truly loved what they did and produced but loved the drive to help themselves even more. Most of these women are single mothers who are hardly educated or have the minimum of education. They need to provide and support their children and other members of their families.

I then knew that this was what I was going to do. My research showed that there was a market for the Rwandan crafts but didn’t know how big. What I knew for sure was that I was going to help these women somehow.

• Rwanda is emerging as a place of great opportunity for ICT in East Africa. Tell us more about this and what opportunities there are.

I think computers and a paperless office is the future that I see for my son’s generation. There are great opportunities in using the World Wide Web. It is free in some cases like the social networks Facebook and Twitter. Without it I wouldn’t have been able to set up my own business. Rwandans have to realise that the internet is also an integral part of their business. When you have a work email address and website then you have to keep using it as if you were dealing with someone face to face. I still get disappointed with companies that do not reply to you, when you send them an email. Why have email in the first place if you do not use it. Once Rwandans realise this then there will be no stopping them.

• What are the main challenges to seeing Rwanda emerging as a major innovation hub?

Rwanda has to have the belief that it can become a classified outlet. The Rwandan people have to open their minds and see that there is a world out there waiting for them to acknowledge their culture and abilities – thinking outside the box! With self belief we can expand the potential of the growth of the Rwandan impact on the world.

• There’s a view that there is a close tie between technology and development. What do you see as the connection between these two and how can technology be used optimally to promote special and economic development especially in this part of the world?

Technology can open doors to already established capabilities. Technology aids development and development improves technology, the ideal “closed loop” to future progress of any growing economy. I think Beauty of Rwanda is a prime example.

• What are your hopes for your country for the next 10 years in terms of technology and development?

I hope the things will be better than they are today. Improved technology is what Rwandan people really want to achieve for themselves.