Our Story

The project between Mercer students and women of Rwanda tackles an issue of national importance in Rwanda today: creating skills and job opportunities in Ubudehe I and II.  Ubudehe is the classification system used to organize the economic levels of Rwandans from I to V with I being the group that needs the most assistance.  Mercer’s goal is to be an effective partner to lift the women and their families out of poverty. 

Mercer has been working with women in Ubudehe I and II for years, but students are limited to spending a few weeks in Rwanda at a time. Imwe was created as a way to dedicate more time and resources to these women and assist them year round in their business endeavors. 

After a trip to Rwanda in the summer of 2021, a marketing research class was created at Mercer that is dedicated to helping a group of seamstresses achieve their dreams of expanding their brand into the United States. This class provides consistent support year round and works to bring Imwe's products into a global market. This brand has the opportunity to be a major success now that Mercer students and staff have committed more resources and time to these women and their families.