The business environment in Rwanda is suitable for all regardless of sex and age. In the past probably two decades ago women were segregated from doing businesses and their job was reproduction and housekeeping.
The Rwandan business environment has taken a different attitude to day from that of isolating female to an environment that embraces all human resources for the development of the country.
Chantal Munanayire is one of the extraordinary women who have taken the courage to confront what most people consider as a men’s job. Igihe.com’s Herbert Ndahiro caught up with Munanayire in an exclusive interview and the following are the excerpts.
Igihe.com: Explain the nature of your business
Munanayire: Quick&C garage is a Vehicle garage that operates 7days a week offering the best services to our customer. We do body car spray, light and tier alignment, general mechanics. Our garage is new in the area but not new in the business because we have been working from Nyabugogo and only changed location soon.
Igihe.com: Given the market around, does this business make profit?
Munanayire: Our business started as a small garage and really it was hard for us in the first days as people knew little about us. However, given the massive efforts invested in public awareness, we gained popularity and we are currently making some profits though not excessive but otherwise we wouldn’t still be in business.
Igihe.com: What type of vehicles do you handle?
Munanayire: We repair all types of vehicles. Let it be small personal cars, trucks, jeeps, mention it. As long as it’s a vehicle, we handle it to the best wishes of our clients.
Igihe.com: Who are your regular customers?
Munanayire: We have a diverse clientele base (ministries, companies, individuals, associations, and agencies) but I can say that our regular customers are the private individuals as most ministries and government institutions have their own garages.
Igihe.com: Describe the working procedure in this garage
Munanayire: When a customer brings his vehicle to this garage, we immediately analyze what is needs to be done on the car in any terms depending on the customer’s request.
We then proceed to checking the bits and pieces in the car by use of a check list in the presence of the driver. This is done for secure grounds for on both of us as the customer confirms every piece in his vehicle before living it in our possession. After that we start working on the vehicle.
Igihe.com: How secure are customer’s vehicles in this garage?
Munanayire: Safety is a key factor according to our values and objectives. We make sure people’s cars are handled with extra care and attention. We keep a close eye and make sure the security status of our customers’ cars from time they enter our gates until we officially hand them back to their respective owners.
We also have a monitoring system whereby once we check in the car we register it in our data base and inform our security officers. As the vehicles lives our garage, its noted ok in our computerized system.
Igihe.com: What unique feature do you have in this garage?
Munanayire: The uniqueness we have is that we have the “Millibar Air System Technology” a machine that automatically sprays cars original paint by itself. This machine is computerize and does the spraying in less than 40minutes. The machine has a baking system that is used to dry paint in the shortest time possible.
Igihe.com: As woman, what motivated you to do this business?
Munanayire: Normally I personally believe that women have the same potentials as men. Once you love something you have to do it no matter what case it may be.
People laughed at me when I was starting this business but I never minded because I was positive minded and wanted to achieve my dream. The whole idea of fearing to take on heavy business ventures is shallow thinking because we are able as anybody else.
Igihe.com: How do you deal with the private sector?
Munanayire: The private sector is our umbrella that unites us all in one association (ARG which stands for Association Rwandese de Garages).
We also offer training to internship students from the private sector that once they perform to our expectations we retain them as our employees.
Igihe.com:What challenges do you encounter in your daily business?
Munanayire: We don’t have many challenges as many of our competitors partly because we are well positioned however we have about two main challenges. First and foremost are the delayed payments from the insurance companies.
They take long to clear their dues which affect the smooth running of our business. Secondly is the water shortage problem in Remera. There are times we lack water during the day, leading us to spend a lot fetching from the collection water center.
But this challenge is almost being resolved as we have in place water harvesting collection centers and soon we shall purchase water tanks to reserve our own water reserves.
Igihe.com: What advice would you give to other women who are scared of engaging in such business?
Munanayire: Don’t fear to engage in any business. As long as you have a dream, chase it until you achieve it. Be brave to face the challenges because that is how business is made.
I would like to encourage my fellow women to wake up and work seriously now that we are in a country that avails equal opportunities to all citizens.
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