Epiphanie’s life is a testament to human resilience. She lost both of her parents in the 1994 genocide and became responsible for her two younger brothers when she was just 9 years old. After nearly a year in a refugee camp, the three children were sent to an orphanage in Masoro, where Epiphanie learned to be a tailor.

At the age of 16, she was on her own. She left Masoro for a nearby town, rented a sewing machine, and set up shop on the street. Some days customers came and some days they didn’t. But Epiphanie persisted and eventually purchased the machine, and precariously supported the small family with her street-side business. Epiphanie returned to Masoro when she heard about the opportunities at Abahizi Rwanda in late 2013. She was hired after easily passing the sewing tests, and then quickly advanced from sewing fabric to leather. With her first savings, Epiphanie bought another sewing machine. kate spade new york may not always be here, she told us. But if she and her daughter both have sewing machines, they can survive. Epiphanie is methodically securing her future.

First she bought a home, then she purchased a plot of land as an investment, then another plot, and then a third. Cinder blocks and concrete stucco are gradually replacing the mud bricks in her home, and she is thrilled to have a front door that locks. Epiphanie tends her sweet potatoes, beans, and sorghum on the weekends, and still sometimes sews for cash. Eventually, Epiphanie would like to have enough land so that her brothers could marry and all three families could live nearby. She is confident that someday soon, there will be a cow. With a cow and two sewing machines, she would finally feel secure. The family would no longer need to buy milk or fertilizer, and Fanny, her daughter, would have plenty of protein.

Epiphanie sees her future in Masoro: though life as a Single Mom can be tough, she is calling the shots in her life. She is not sure where her daughter will be in the future. Fanny is smart and attending the best school in Masoro. Epiphanie recalls that before joining Abahizi Rwanda it wasn’t always possible to pay tuition. Now she is confident that Fanny will be able to attend the best high school. As for college, America is a possibility. Bursting with pride, Epiphanie says, “She may even go to Georgetown!”

Epiphanie’s story was obtained from the Georgetown Social Enterprise Link in a Global Value Chain report