Since 2022, prices of food, transport, and living in Rwanda and around the world have fluctuated, more so in their rising than falling. Unfortunately for the working-class population in the country, salaries and wages have not been raised to match the rates.
On Wednesday, April 24th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., SENS Magazine visited small businesses across Kigali, from the lively marketplaces to the tranquil neighborhoods, to see how they deal with rising prices and how they use the little profits they gain in their daily lives.
We met with hardworking owners who tackle this issue in hopes of understanding how they keep their businesses afloat despite rising prices.
Emmanuel Mbarimombazi, 25, Barber
“My name is Emanuel Mbarimombazi, and I’m a 25-year-old barber with seven years of experience. It’s been a journey of perseverance. While my salary is modest, I’ve managed to cover my monthly expenses, which include 50,000 RWF in rent for my workplace and 70,000 RWF for my home. Living close to work allows me to travel on foot, saving me money on transportation. After paying rent, bills, and essentials, I’m left with minimal savings, but I continue to push forward, motivated to improve my situation despite the obstacles.”
Caliste Nsengimana, 35, Cobbler
“I’m Nsengimana Caliste,” he said. “I’m 35 years old and not married; my job repairing shoes
allows me to care for my child, who lives with my mother. My job pays only 30,000 RWF each
month, which makes it difficult to make ends meet. I live in a small one-room house and pay
15,000 Rwf in rent. Despite the challenges, I chose this job because I enjoy using my brain and
hands. I’d rather rely on myself than the government for support.”
We then went to Zinia, a local market in Kicukiro, where we met Habumugisha Celestin. We stopped him because he was in action, transporting a bag of coal on a wheelbarrow.
We asked him, “Sir, can we talk to you?” He replied, “Who are you?”
“We are journalists.” With a smile, he said, “Pay me first.” We replied, “After the conversation,” and he answered, “Narindimo gutebya ni mumbaze ntakibazo.” (I was joking; you may ask me, no problem.) As with everyone else, he began by introducing himself to us.
Habumugisha Celestin, 37, Potter
“I am 37 years old; I have a wife and one child that I care for, and it is not easy with this price rising because this job pays so little and is even harder. Do you know how hard it is to push a wheelbarrow carrying 200 kg for 20 minutes, depending on where you are going, and do those five times a day, and each time you get paid not more than 1500 Rwf?”
“This job asks you to do as much transporting as you can. I would say I earn 200.000 Rwf
per month, pay a rent of 100.000 Rwf, buy food for the whole month, and I can save at least 20.000 rwf. It is not easy, but you find a way to make it work. For example, since I have to pay my son’s school fees, I don’t buy food for the entire month together; instead, I buy on details, that’s how I do it.”
Olivier Nshimiyimana, 24, Taxi Cyclist
“I’m Olivier Nshimiyimana. I am 24 years old and a cyclist (I do my job by transporting people on bicycles). The jobs we do are highly tough, but the pay is little. Consider that if I only get 300 RWF for each transportation service I give, you can imagine how many people I must transport each day just to make at least 2000 Rwf. It drains my energy, and there are days when I don’t even have enough money for lunch by the afternoon, which usually costs around 1500 RWF. As a result, after covering my basic expenses for the day, I’m left with only 500 RWF; monthly, I have 15000 RWF.”
Leopold Kanani, 42
“My name is Kanani Leopold, and I am 42 years old. I have a wife and two children. My oldest is five years old, and my youngest is two. I do multiple jobs to make ends meet. On a good day, I can earn roughly 3000 or 4000 Rwf. So, based on my calculations, I might earn roughly
100,000 Rwf every month. I need to be careful with this money. I sometimes skip lunch to save money for dinner with my family. I also have to pay the rent, which is a big expense. There are days when I earn nothing at all. During those tough times, I had to borrow money from someone and repay it later. It’s not easy, but I do my best to provide for my family.”
Anastase Uzabakirana, Hairdresser
“My name is Uzabakirana Anastase. I’m married with a wife and one child. We live in Kigali. I work in a salon, doing braids and nails. Typically, I earn around 250,000 Rwf per month. After I’ve met my family’s needs, I consider saving some money. If things are going well and I’ve handled all of our problems, I might even treat myself to go out with friends.”
Bernadette Mukayijye, 31, Mobile Money Agent
“My name is Mukayijye Bernadette. I am 31 years old. I’m a single mother of two children. One is six years old; the other is four years old. I work with mobile money, a money exchange system developed by MTN in Rwanda. We are usually not paid on a monthly basis. The amount we earn is determined by how much work we do. On average, I make approximately 50,000 Rwf every month. It’s not much, but it’s what we have to work with. With 50,000 Rwf, it is difficult for me and my children to meet our needs. We must be cautious with our spending and use our money wisely. Saving is also tough, but we do our best to put aside whatever we can.”
Gabriel Niyigaba, 27, Disc Burner
“My name is Niyigaba Gabriel. I am 27 years old, and I live alone. I’m a burner, which means
I assist people in transferring movies and music onto their phones or memory cards.
Each month, I earn 80,000Frw. I save 15,000Frw. With the rest, I get whatever I need, such as clothes and other necessities. Sometimes I go out with friends to have some fun. This is how I split my money every month.”
Sarah Uwineza, 19, House maid
“My name is Uwineza Sarah, and I am 19 years old. I am from Muhanga. I used to live with my grandmother, but she recently died. I work as a home maid and make approximately 20,000
FRW each month. It isn’t much, so saving is hard for me. My strategy is to divide my money monthly. In one month, I spend it on necessities like clothes, lotion, and menstrual pads. Then, in the following month, I may utilize the money to visit friends or do something fun. After that, in another month, I try to save as much as I can.”
