URUGO

Urugo Women’s Opportunity Centre (Urugo WOC) is a community-based organisation in Kayonza that supports vulnerable women—particularly those affected by Rwanda’s past conflicts—to rebuild their lives through skills, economic opportunity, and social empowerment. Established to provide a space for healing, learning, and livelihood development, the Centre has become a vibrant hub where women can access training, resources, and income-generating opportunities that strengthen their independence and wellbeing.

Guided by a mission “to change the lives of vulnerable women by empowering them with support, access to resources, and life-changing skills,” Urugo WOC envisions a thriving environment where women can learn, work, connect, and shape a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities. The Centre integrates learning, commerce, hospitality, and community engagement, making it a unique space where social development and economic possibilities grow side by side.

Urugo WOC supports women through practical skills training and income pathways that include weaving, tailoring, leatherwork, handicrafts, and small-scale enterprise. Alongside economic training, women receive education in health, nutrition, family planning, gender-based violence prevention, and basic financial management—ensuring that economic growth is paired with informed decision-making and improved wellbeing.

Through its skills development and economic empowerment programmes, the Centre offers:

• Vocational training in tailoring, carpet weaving, leather and canvas production, and other practical trades that open pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.
• Handicraft and artisan development, enabling women to turn traditional skills into reliable income.
• Health and social education, including gender-based violence prevention, family planning, and nutrition awareness.
• Financial literacy and basic business skills, helping women manage income, build savings, and plan for long-term stability.
• Access to safe community spaces, including gathering areas, events spaces, and an eco-lodge that generates income for Centre programmes and beneficiaries.
• Support for women’s cooperatives, strengthening collective enterprise and market access.

Urugo WOC’s work directly contributes to SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). By equipping women with practical skills, income opportunities, and social awareness, the Centre reduces poverty, strengthens families, expands access to education, and promotes greater gender equality within the community.

The BB Energy Foundation is proud to partner with Urugo Women’s Opportunity Centre. Together, we are supporting initiatives that offer vulnerable women the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to achieve economic independence, improve family wellbeing, and build brighter futures for the next generation.