GATOVU SEWING &TAILORING PROJECT

About this Project

Gatovu Integrated Development Program (IDP) Model village, located in Gataraga Sector of Musanze District, Northern province of Rwanda is home to 312 people living in 64 households with semi-detached houses of four housing units each. 32 of the households are female headed.  The village was constructed by the government of Rwanda in 2019 to provide shelter for the poor and vulnerable residents of Musanze district who were living in areas putting their lives at risk or lacked decent shelter. Other than the shelter provided by the government, residents of Gatovu model village do not have land or any other source of livelihood. They survive on finding casual work in the community such as farming for other people or working on construction sites. 

This Sewing Project is a community-driven livelihood initiative in the model villa that aims to empower women and youth through practical sewing & tailoring skills and small-scale entrepreneurship. In a community heavily dependent on subsistence farming and vulnerable to poverty, the project will diversify income sources, strengthen household financial stability, and build long-term economic resilience. Grounded in strong local trust and participation, the initiative promotes inclusive skills training, market-oriented income generation, and sustainable community ownership to achieve lasting socio-economic impact.