In line with the Government’s joint strategy for the economic inclusion of refugees with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Inkomoko has offered refugee entrepreneurs the technical tools and resources needed to grow their businesses, improve their personal financial sustainability, and create jobs for other refugees and members of the neighboring host communities.
The 800 refugee entrepreneurs who recently graduated from Inkomoko’s programme have already achieved impressive results. These entrepreneurs have grown their business revenues by an average of 88%. More importantly, these refugees are creating jobs.
Lydia Irambona, Inkomoko’s director of refugee services said that the impact of the programme reached out to a great number of unemployed Refugees and Rwandans.
“The policies of the GoR that allow for refugees to start and run businesses means that refugee entrepreneurs have opportunities to improve their lives while positively contributing to Rwanda’s economic development. The refugees in our 2017 cohorts created a total of 2,492 jobs. Approximately 900 of these jobs were filled by other refugees, while remarkably 1,600 jobs were filled by Rwandans.”
Speaking during the graduation event of the 2017 cohort at Gihembe Camp, U.S. Ambassador Peter Vrooman commended Inkomoko’s work in increasing the socioeconomic integration of refugees.
“We are proud to support Inkomoko’s work in advancing the Government of Rwanda’s commitment to increase the socioeconomic integration of refugees. The United States is the biggest donor to Rwanda’s refugee response, contributing nearly $50 million in humanitarian assistance in the last two years.”
“We are committed to supporting refugees because we believe that everyone deserves to live in safety and dignity. Empowering refugees to become self-reliant not only benefits those refugees and their families directly, but also creates jobs and boosts earnings in their host communities. Supporting refugee entrepreneurs and easing their access to finance opportunities and the labor market is a win-win for refugees and for Rwandan citizens,” said U.S. Ambassador Peter Vrooman.
“UNHCR is very pleased to witness this event, since providing or enhancing entrepreneurship and business skills are important components of our livelihoods and self-reliance strategy and will promote the socio-economic inclusion of refugees in Rwanda. The refugee entrepreneurs will not only impact other refugees but also local communities who will interact and mutually benefit from services,” said the UNHCR Deputy Representative Ms. Barbara Bentum-William Dotse.
Inkomoko is now working with 1,700 refugee entrepreneurs in the five existing locations, as well as two additional camps, Mahama and Mugombwa. In June, the group will host organize “Community Network Day” events, in close collaboration with the District Authorities, which are opportunities for refugees and Rwandan host community members to meet each other and connect about integrated business opportunities.
Inkomoko that has recently launched a tourism and hospitality accelerator in partnership with Mastercard Foundation’s Hanga Ahazaza works with and support a range of entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and enterprises.
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