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Workers feel impact of virus, consider alternative jobs

Sunday August 09 2020
jobs

Covid-19 disruption has led lose of jobs in industries and companies, forcing affected workers to seek alternative income-generating activities to support their families as they wait for normalcy to return. Photo | Cyril Ndegeya

By ELIZABETH MUTESI

With the increasing number of coronavirus cases in different regions of the country, many Rwandans are facing hard times, especially the low-income earners who were employed by various industries and organiations.

The organisations have been disrupted by coronavirus containment measures, making it difficult for them to continue paying salaries.

The most affected are employees on full-time employment whose activities have been disrupted. Some, however, lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic and had to find other jobs to eke out a living.

“After losing my job as a sales manager at some textile company due to this pandemic, I could not settle at all since I had to make money to support my mother and sister.

With my innovativeness, creativeness, and passion for design, I came up with an idea that would benefit me, my family, and the community. I started up an interior design business where I move to houses designing there mirrors and so Workers feel impact of virus, consider alternative jobs forth so as to make a house look beautiful. I earn between Rwf10, 000 and Rwf15,000 for each piece of art,” says Kayonga Hadidja.

On the other hand, the global outbreak has resulted in the closure of small scale businesses. Many individuals are therefore not able to work or sustain their rental bills due to lack of enough capital.

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Under such a condition of the Covid-19 outbreak, many haven’t been able to put up with everything.

“I happened to lose my job in April due to Coronavirus but that was never a setback,” said Mugunga Emerson an ex human resource manager.

He added that together with his team started up an online merged agriculture supply chain known as FOODLINE to boost agribusiness in the country by linking farmers directly with retail markets.

“This business has helped us in countless ways like being able to support our families and also paying rental bills on a monthly basis. We are also able to earn at least Rwf600, 000 per week and save for a better tomorrow.

Covid-19 has affected a big number of Rwandans that are dealing with small businesses that had to travel in search of goods and services. Their businesses are at a standstill now, due to restrictions on traveling that were put across since during traveling, numbers of corona cases are identified positive when tested.

“Losing your job doesn’t have to be the end of it all,” says Mateka Alice, former Finance Assistant. Alice added that as a single mother of two that lost her job unwillingly due to Covid-19, this unexpected situation made her think of a small business she could start up with her little savings.

So she started up a wholesale business of maize flour in order to earn a living during this pandemic and be able to support her two children plus pay rental bills of Rwf150,000 per month. She earns between Rwf10,000 and Rwf 15000 per week.

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