Her Story Project is a socio-economic development initiative that includes hands-on skills workshops to train a new generation of female storytellers through photography. The participants are young women who have not been able to complete their secondary school education due to poverty and teen pregnancy in Butaro Sector, Burera District. 

The “HerStory” project was aimed at empowering young women in Rwanda, who have dropped out of school. The project uses art as a tool for self-expression and storytelling, with a goal of giving a voice to these women and enabling them to turn art into a livelihood. The project is part of a broader effort to address gender discrimination and promote gender equality in Rwanda. It highlights the challenges faced by women in the country, such as domestic violence and social and economic injustices. The project entailed mentorship and workshops conducted by female members of Image Rwanda, creating a positive cycle of women training and empowering other women.  

The University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) through the Department of Campus Operations and Community Engagement partnered with Image Rwanda trained 10 Butaro girls for the “Her Story Project” toward leveraging its efforts of maximizing community benefits, addressing poor states of social determinants of health. The project prioritised building a community for creatives and storytellers, with a goal of increasing the number of women creatives and storytellers both in rural and urban Rwanda. 

The young girls worked on their storytelling projects, received mentorship on photography and storytelling, and started getting casual photography work from local community clients. UGHE and Image Rwanda opened a local studio for the girls, which allows them to continue providing photography services to clients in the Butaro community and Burera Distric.  

In 2022, the beneficiaries of “Her Story Project” showcased different stories through photography revolving around water, sanitation, and hygiene challenges in Butaro, the importance of early child development centres, the importance of Girinka Munyarwanda, the impact of working in cooperatives, the impact of electricity, and the impact of COVID in Butaro, among others! 

Details about Storytelling Photography Projects: http://157.245.250.106/ughe-impacts-girls-in-butaro-through-the-her-story-project 

Her Story Project participants operate Tinyuka Photo Studio in Rusumo Market Center in Rusumo Cell, Butaro Sector, Burera District! To support Her Story Project and visit Tinyuka Studio, please contact UGHe & Image Rwanda at the following contacts!  

UGHE: auwimana@157.245.250.106, +250791782707 

Image Rwanda: info@image.rw, +250788322579