Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/56523
A Work in Progress by Gabriel Constans studying to be a secretary. All three women lost hope for their futures after Rwanda slipped into war and genocide in 1994. Now, because of Rwanda's renewed emphasis on education, all three are planning for careers in finance or account- ing at the Kigali School of Finance and Banking (SFB). "I had lost hope of going D back to school after all these years," says Mukameana. "I have three children who are still at lower primary classes, onatha Musabende is a 43-year-old Rwandan widow. Vennah Mukumburwa is a 24-year-old who never thought she'd be able to return to school. Seraphina Mukameana is a 40-year-old woman who, in 1993, was The Kigali School of Finance and Banking is part of Rwanda's plan to rebuild after the genocide in 1994. But first, the school must build its capacity, establish its vision, and redefine its role in a swiftly evolving region. but I thank God for enabling me to succeed in my dreams." The Rwandan government hopes that once they receive busi- ness training, Musabende, Mukumburwa, Mukameana, and other young men and women will be catalysts for growth and prosperity. The country's Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is plac- ing its bets on education and entrepreneurship to spark a bustling knowledge-based economy. In 2002, when the government opened the SFB in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, the hope was that the school would be at the front and center of the country's rebuilding efforts, creating a new gener- ation of talented managers and passionate entrepreneurs. The gov- ernment hired Krishna Govender, an educator formerly from South Africa, as the school's rector. The government expects that, under Govender's leadership, the Kigali School will become an interna- tionally respected academic institution within the next decade. 36 BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009