Africa innovates Magazine -AI4DEV - Flipbook - Page 40
AFRICA INNOVATES
U W I N E Z A N E L LY A L I N E ( R w a n d a )
FROM BREWERY
TO HAND SANITIZER
FACTORY
Uwineza Nelly Aline had never planned to set up a factory for hand
sanitizers, she had founded the Tropical Brewery and Winery in Kicukiro,
Kigarama prefecture in Rwanda, in the hope of cracking the beverage
industry. Then, COVID-19 came to town.
HAND SANITIZER
M A N U FA C T U R I N G
“Tropical Brewery and Winery was initially meant to be a
beverage company. The idea was to brew different types
of craft beers. But before the idea materialized, the Coronavirus pandemic struck,” Nelly says. As the old adage
goes, “necessity is the mother of invention.” She thought
on her feet.
“I immediately said to myself – make hand sanitizers!
Not just as a business, but also as my contribution in the
fight against Coronavirus virus. So I changed my business
from beer brewing and wine making, to manufacturing
hand sanitizers.”
photo: Shutterstock.com
S H O RTA G E O F H A N D
SANITIZERS
Her move came in handy not only for her business, but
most Rwandans needing access to affordable hand
sanitisers. At one point during the pandemic, Rwanda
even faced a shortage of hand sanitizers, and the few
that were available were expensive due to high demand,
as COVID-19 disrupted logistics and supply chains across
the world.
“I believe that as young entrepreneurs, we should be
part of the necessary solutions and help our communities
40 SHOWCASING AFRICAN INNOVATION
to overcome the COVID-19 crisis,” states the 32-year-old
entrepreneur.
“So I started making hand sanitizers using locally
sourced good quality produce such as Rwanda-grown
aloe vera on which our product is based. Because we
source locally, our prices are lower, compared to imported
sanitizers.”
Nelly is now working with local cooperatives to grow the
aloe vera, thereby creating employment.
