Crafting Opportunities: Cultivating Creativity and Commerce in Musanze

In the vibrant region of Musanze, local artists and artisans face a pressing challenge: the need for greater market access and promotion of their unique crafts and cultural products. Despite their immense talent and dedication, many struggle to find buyers for their creations, which hinders their potential for financial stability and growth. Recognizing this need, initiatives at Red Rocks aim to bridge the gap between these artisans and the market, fostering an environment where their work can flourish.

Building on the project launched on December 20, 2024, titled “Cultural Evolution: Empowering Community through Human Sciences and Sustainable Tourism,” Red Rocks continues to provide support through a second round of training for local artisans. Funded by UNESCO, this initiative focuses on interlacing cultural heritage with sustainable tourism, aiming to foster community engagement and economic empowerment in Musanze District.

As part of this ongoing project, local artisans are now undergoing training aimed at enhancing their skills and marketability.

Dativa Bazubafite, a skilled artisan who weaves baskets, emphasized the importance of market access for artisans to thrive. She envisions a deeper market where her crafts can be valued and sold to sustain her business.

“I have been here at Red Rocks for five years. The crafts we make are gradually improving; they are not advancing quickly. I want to see a deeper market; if I weave one basket and it sells, I can weave another and sell it like that,” she explained, emphasizing the importance of market access.

Dativa highlighted that the challenge lies not only in creating beautiful crafts but also in securing funds for materials and finding customers.

Nsanzineza Kwihangana Honore, known as Nganji Stone, a traditional music singer, echoed Dativa’s sentiments. He believes that promoting their work is crucial for their success. “I gain a lot of knowledge about Rwandan traditional culture, and I can utilize it to generate income and gain knowledge in general,” he shared. “However, we need to enhance the promotion of our cultural crafts because Rwandans produce beautiful and unique items that can also generate income.”

Mazimpaka Jones Kennedy, founder of JFK Entertainment and a prominent actor, observes the passion of the artisans.

“These people have love and willingness; they do what they do with enthusiasm,” he noted. However, he identified the need for encouragement and support to help them explore new income-generating avenues. He advised artisans to take pride in their work and actively seek opportunities to showcase their talents.

Sibomana Athanase, a legendary artist, emphasized the significance of nurturing talent. “Caring for their talents, and everyone has a talent,” he stated, urging parents to guide their children in recognizing and developing their abilities. “What you should do as a parent is not to tell them they misbehaved. Instead, how should they do it well? Guide them because that’s what they call education.”

Recognizing the urgent need for market access and promotion, Bakunzi Gregoire, the CEO of Red Rocks, outlined the organization’s commitment to supporting local artisans. “We are in process of doing so; we have started by establishing this center to promote and market what they do,” he explained, elaborating on plans for cultural festivals and study trips aimed at broadening their exposure and connecting them with potential buyers, locally and internationally.

Pierre Hakizimana, Executive Director of Ikirenga and Culture Promotion, underscored the importance of sustainability and market access for these artisans. “Today, this project may not last long. But we are two organizations coming together. Both Ikirenga and Red Rocks aim to uplift the beneficiaries,” he concluded, emphasizing that providing more market access and promotion is the primary goal of the training programs they are implementing.

Through collaboration, training, and strategic promotion, Red Rocks is not only fostering the artistic talents of local artisans but also paving the way for sustainable livelihoods and cultural preservation in Rwanda.

By addressing the critical need for market access and promotion, these initiatives are empowering Musanze’s artists and artisans to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment.

Some pictures showing the beneficiaries during the training:

Some photos of the beneficiaries working and their artwork: