SHEKINA creates jobs for over 2,000 female smallholder farmers in Rulindo District

By George Kalisa

Rwandan Food Processing, Import and Export Company dubbed Shekina Enterprise provides solutions to malnutrition alongside giving a future to 200 vulnerable female youths. In addition, this Company provides meaningful and sustainable employment to over 2,000 female smallholder farmers mostly cassava growers in the sectors of Bushoki, Base, Buyoga, Tumba and Rusiga in the Rulindo District in Rwanda’s Northern Province. 

During an exclusive interview with The Light Magazine this last Friday Mr. Pierre Damien Mbatezimana, the owner and Managing Director of the Rulindo District based Agribusiness Company, SHEKINA ENTERPRISE said that he founded it to eradicate poverty and promote money-spinning agribusiness at the grassroots level by increasing the value of the readily accessible local crops.

“In 2007, when I started this Company cassava leaves, the basic raw materials for the processing company were dumped to garbage as waste, prompting me to mobilize and sensitize the smallholder farmers about the importance of the cassava leaves,” said Mbatezimana.

“Over 2,000 women earn a living by supplying cassava leaves to the processing plant that dries the leaves,” he added.

Akeza product [Isombe -pounded and dried cassava leaves] is the flagship product of Shekina Enterprise. Akeza has a lifespan of two years. The Company that plans to bring a new product, fish-floured cassava, to the market in March 2022 also produces ALA DAMIANO [instant cassava leaves].

Entrepreneur Mbatezimana revealed that the awaited fish-floured is highly rich in irons proteins and carbohydrates, and is optimistic that it will make the best diet for expectant and breast-feeding mothers in Rwanda and beyond.

Shekina Enterprise exports are highly competitive on international markets and have penetrated markets like the UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium, USA and France with a prominent distribution centre in Belgium dubbed AEZA SPRL.www.akezafood.com.

In Rwanda, Shekina Enterprise is headquartered in Nyirangarama Township along Kigali-Musanze highway in Bushoki Sector, Rulindo District in the Northern Province.  

More details about this growing Agri-business Company is covered in the Special Edition of The Light Magazine on the Northern Province of Rwanda to come out soon.