In the morning, people bring their old shoes to Ivan Nshimiyimana’s workshop hoping to have them restored to their original shape.

Ivan Nshimiyimana, a 21-year-old man, resides in the Gicumbi District, Byumba Sector in the Northern Province of Rwanda with his wife and his one-year-old son.

Ivan has been receiving support from the YouthCan Project since 2021, and he now owns a shoe workshop due to his resilience and support from the project. The professional shoemaker, Ivan started like most cobblers, making little income from clients who would bring in their shoes to him for repair.

“In 2018 due to financial difficulties, I dropped out of school after completing Primary six, but because I did not have much skills then, I started working as a cobbler, it is from there that I got the idea of making shoes”, he said.

With time, Ivan realized he would not be able to raise enough funds from just repairing the shoes, as it could not fetch him considerable income.

In 2019, Ivan, who earned his living by repairing shoes, found it financially challenging to attend a vocational school due to his limited income. He reached out to the local administration for support in improving his shoe-making skills but no response until 2021 when a local leader finally invited him to the sector office.

“In 2021, I received a call from a local leader inviting me to his office. When I reached there, they told me that they wanted to connect me with SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda for training purposes.

I appreciate the idea. In one week, the team from SOS Children’s Village in Byumba visited my home and expressed their desire to empower me with new skills.” Ivan said.
He persuaded the training on entrepreneurship skills and after six months he graduated with high note.

Before our graduation, YouthCan organized a competition to recognize the best performers. I became the winner and they awarded me RWF 261,000 (197 USD).

Ivan added, “The amount supported me in buying the essential tools to make shoes and I am glad to be a project participant of the YouthCan Project
Ivan, who did not disclose the starting capital amount, stated that he was able to raise just enough to set up his business idea.

Seeing an opportunity in the market where most people were dissatisfied with the available options, Ivan decided to produce customized shoes that matched people’s tastes and preferences.
He mentioned that his unique approach to the local shoemaking industry brought in good returns, and by reinvesting the surplus revenue, he was able to scale up his business.

Ivan said, "I managed to buy a plot and renewed my mother’s house. My family, including my wife and son, are also stable."

To make it easier for customers to identify and choose their preferred shoe styles, he offers a variety of options. The price range for his shoes is between RWF 20,000 (15 USD) and RWF 50000 (37 USD).

Ivan also said that producing customized shoes and leather sandals has enabled him to concentrate and deliver the best to his clientele. With this, the number of customers has been growing steadily leading him to expand his business by employing three more workers.

Ivan wants to expand his business by hiring three more workers. He mentioned that despite the growth of his business, he is encountering challenges such as limited access to affordable raw materials, most of which are imported.

Additionally, there is a shortage of skilled labour because few people see the trade as a profitable profession, leading to a lack of interest in the field.