The start to young Jeannette Gakwandi’s life was beyond tragic - her parents and siblings were killed in the Rwanda genocide. It was the remainder of her fractured family who sustained her and nourished her to find a path forward.

While much of her story is painful, Gakwandi’s inner strength is palpable in this interview. One way to overcome her experience was a vow one day build a house of her own. Her ambition then grew to make this skill a livelihood, slowly and meticulously learning the trade of construction and building her own business. Her company now has several employees and contractors working to advance housing in Rwanda.

Being a woman in housing construction has come with many challenges — some men have refused to work with her, and she must continually assert herself to keep the business moving forward. It took a lot of scrambling for resources and learning skills on the fly, but today she has a steady business with an eye towards further expansion. Her message to young girls is to not be afraid to tackle industries that have traditionally been closed to them.

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