On this seventh day of my long summer expedition, I am visiting Kicukiro District. Earlier today, I had a sightseeing tour in different parts of the sub destination. Then I dropped by Agaseke Center in Gatenga Sector.
As I spun my wheels to the center, I was awestruck by the beauty of the surrounding cultural village’s botanical gardens, walkways and gazebos. On the other side of the hill, the panoramic views of Nyanza, Gahanga and the meandering course of Nyabarongo River took my breath away.
While window shopping in the gift shop, I couldn’t stop gazing at the artistically designed chairs displayed therein. What followed was an encounter with a young entrepreneur who designs and sells them. One thing led to another, and our impromptu meeting turned into an interview of sorts. His name is Fred Junior Musemakweli, founder and Managing Director of Jun Designs.
Born and raised in Kigali, Fred went to Sonrise High School. Equipped with a high school diploma, he got busy attending a myriad of short courses while working with different organizations as a volunteer.
After a short stint at Imfura Art, Fred became a vendor of a wide range of artifacts. Unfortunately, Covid - 19 forced him to close shop in March 2020. When the economy was reopened, he found himself back to the drawing board. It was at this point when he saw the need to go back to school.
Ultimately, he spent a year studying Tourism and Hospitality at Kayonza Vocational Center in the Eastern Province. Upon the completion of the course, he returned to Kigali and grabbed another opportunity right away — this time, enrolling in a hands-on training program on bakery and pastry — sponsored by the Skills Development Fund (SDF).
It has been a year since Fred resumed business. He is currently working with artisans plying their craft in Ngoma District. Apart from designing and putting the final touches to the chairs, he is also honing his marketing skills.
Speaking of marketing, the youngster is leveraging the power of social media to showcase his products. In addition, he attends as many exhibitions as possible while utilizing resources put at his disposal by the government and its partners.
Fred and his team use locally sourced materials — mainly banana leaves, bamboo trees and cowhide. His journey as an entrepreneur has been a rollercoaster ride, but he is making strides. The future is undoubtedly bright.
