The Nziza Art Initiative‚(NIA) mission is to empower Rwandan women and girls by elevating their recognition of their own value and self-worth and by increasing their earning power, while respecting their traditions and culture. Formally known as Nziza Workshops, NIA was launched in 2010 by Innocent Nkurinziza, as a tribute to his mother, Muteteri Gertrude, a passionate community leader, who worked tirelessly to empower women and girls in Kigali before her untimely death in 2001. Her work gave women and girls a strong foundation in life skills and arts and crafts that enabled them to be self- sufficient and able to support their families.
NAI equips women and girls with skills that reveal and enhance their individual artistic talents while providing new and equitable income opportunities for them in the arts and crafts industry, inclusive of fine arts. In addition, to introduce women to the world of fine art in Rwanda and promote their being recognized as contenders in this field. The success of the work of NAI can be a lynchpin in the building of a stronger economy in Rwanda because it allows women and girls to maximize their income either working from home or outside the home.
NAI is based on the belief that by providing a viable path to reaching solutions to the following Sustainable Development Goal - #5 Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls, we are in addition reducing poverty (#1), reducing hunger (#2), improving health and wellbeing (#3) and increasing the education levels of women and girls (#4). - we begin to address these global goals affecting a positive difference in the plight of women and girls in Rwanda.
Research carried out by NAI shows the following needs in Rwanda for women and girls which NAI has chosen to respond to
a) The need for appropriate training in arts and crafts skills which will enable competitive competition in the global arts and crafts industry
b) The need for training to be accessible to those in rural and urban areas
c) The need to place emphasis on design capacity and adaptation to expand product options
d) The need to introduce strategic local and international marketing tools for arts and crafts inclusive of digital channels
NAI’s objective is to provide Rwandan women and girls with
A. Training in arts and craft skills in urban and rural centers we establish with a focus on
a. Product finish
b. Use of indigenous environmentally correct materials
B. Design development and strengthening in arts and crafts products for local and international markets
a. Contemporary - globally appealing and competitive designs
b. Utilitarian product designs
c. Traditional design applications applied in new ways
C. Business skills applicable to the arts and crafts industry
a. Digital use
b. Business plans & record keeping
c. Mentoring & information resources
d. Cooperative benefits
D. Marketing
a. Branding
b. Digital marketing locally and internationally
c. Networking
d. Shows, exhibitions, events, etc.
NAI’s target audience is individual women and girls who can establish or increase their earning capacity and be self-sufficient while adhering to their cultural and traditional beliefs if need be.
Inema Arts Center, co-founded by artists-brothers, Innocent Nkurinziza and Emmanuel Nkuranga, is the premier place in Rwanda, solely for artists and creative makers to discover and develop their artistic talents. It is the home of visionary programs and initiatives that instruct and champion creative arts and crafts in Rwanda, it has a residency program for fine artists and holds workshops, classes, and events in fine, traditional, and contemporary African arts, crafts, music, and dance. The special attention to the creative arts and crafts sector for women and girls in Rwanda contributes to the health and wellbeing of the nation of Rwanda
Inema Arts Center’s mission is to create a safe place for artists and creative makers to explore their talents, get training, showcase their work, and grow.
