Karigirwa Brenda is a young woman from Kayonza District who processes and brews coffee professionally as a Barista, a profession that has helped her improve her life, allowing her to earn over a million Rwandan Francs per month.
At around 25 years old, this young woman works in the coffee business in Kayonza Town after completing her secondary school education. In an interview with KURA, she shared that she chose to learn coffee processing because she saw it as a growing profession helping many people advance in life.
After completing her studies, her family helped her buy a coffee processing machine, and she immediately started her business in Kayonza Town, near a major intersection of roads, including the one leading to Nyagatare, the one to Ngoma, and another one going to Kigali.
Karigirwa mentioned that this is a good job because it coincided with her being a young woman, something many people appreciate. She said she has many customers who enjoy the coffee she prepares for them.
However, she pointed out that one of the challenges she encountered in this profession is the high cost of the equipment needed for coffee processing.
She continued, “The challenges we face include the difficulty of raising capital to start the business. A coffee processing machine costs over 4 million Rwandan Francs, so securing the funds is difficult. But the good thing is that if you have the capital, work with passion, and are determined to process coffee, you can earn over a million Rwandan Francs per month. However, this depends on the location of your business and the customers you serve.”
Karigirwa offered advice to young girls who wish to become self-reliant, suggesting that they should consider learning to process coffee as it is a dignified job that can generate significant income.
She said, “My advice to girls is to be courageous and try working with coffee. It’s a good job, not difficult, and it can help you progress quickly if you do it with passion. Also, I would advise them to know that success in this profession doesn’t require a lot of things; just having good manners and learning the necessary skills are what really matter.”
She urged young people to discard the misconception that only office jobs lead to success, as there are many other professions, like working for yourself, that can help you progress in life.
