Westminster receives funding from British High Commission in Rwanda toward Rwanda Fashion Entrepreneurs Programme

The initiative is made possible through a collaboration with the UK-funded SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, part of the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) SheTrades Initiative.

This funding will prepare eight Rwandan fashion entrepreneurs for a visit to the University for a summer showcase week, where they will have the chance to connect with Westminster academics and students, buyers, investors, alumni and industry experts, and exhibit their collections.

The Rwanda Fashion Entrepreneurs Programme, delivered in collaboration with the British High Commission in Rwanda, in association with the British Council, the Rwanda High Commission in the UK and Inzira Creative Partners, is designed to support emerging fashion entrepreneurs in Rwanda and strengthen people-to-people links in the creative economy between Rwanda and the UK.

The programme officially launched at the King’s Birthday Party in Kigali on 27 November last year, where eight Rwandan fashion entrepreneurs were commissioned to design outfits for the British High Commissioner to Rwanda, and Westminster alumna, H.E. Alison Thorpe.

This collaboration with SheTrades Commonwealth+ enables the second phase of the programme to benefit from enhanced technical delivery and knowledge exchange activity to support evidence generation, partnership development and programme refinement, strengthening entrepreneurs’ preparedness and visibility in the lead-up to their visit to the University this summer. This includes the delivery of a regular online programme of conversations through which the entrepreneurs will meet regularly at the British High Commissioner’s Residence to engage with Westminster faculty and experts and gain insights into scaling their businesses, before their arrival in London. 

It also enables Westminster colleague, Denise-Francis Brown, Fashion Branding and Communication Lecturer, and Rachel Bashabe, Founder of Veryldesigns and the programme's first African Fashion Entrepreneur in Residence, to visit Kigali to strengthen their understanding of Rwanda’s fashion sector and to meet with the entrepreneurs to ensure the summer programme is as successful as possible.

University of Westminster team with H.E. Alison Thorpe during campus visit

With the support of the funding Westminster alumna Sam Munderere, himself a Rwandan, will provide context-grounded resilience coaching to the designers through his Kigali-based organisation, Solid Minds, helping the entrepreneurs prepare for the transition from a local focus to an export-ready mindset. 

Meanwhile in the UK, Westminster students, including those studying on the Fashion Business Management with Professional Experience BA Honours course and a range of Business and Management courses, will play a central role in the programme through a series of live, practice-based assessments embedded across multiple disciplines.

For example, Fashion Business students on the Visual Merchandising and Styling module will work with the designers to show how their collection can be presented in London. Other students in the new Co-Creating Rwanda’s Future Vertical Integrated Project will develop a podcast featuring the entrepreneurs, students and key stakeholders involved in the programme.

Established in 2015, the SheTrades Initiative is ITC’s flagship Women and Trade Programme. The Initiative works to create the conditions and capacities needed for women to thrive in global trade, providing women producers and traders with access to critical knowledge, resources and networks. It also supports policymakers in inclusive policy reforms and taps into public and private partnerships to amplify its impact.

The entrepreneurs have also received funding through the University’s Ignite Fund in recognition of their contribution to this phase of the project. The Ignite Fund supports students and graduates through paid, work-related opportunities and forms part of the University’s Zone29 career and enterprise support offering. 

Developed as a whole-university initiative, the Rwanda Fashion Initiative is anchored within the University of Westminster’s Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation (CETI), with support from colleagues across the University.

Sonia Mugabo, Founder of her self-named Rwanda fashion label, said: “I am delighted to be part of the Rwanda Fashion Entrepreneurs Programme because it creates a vital bridge between Rwanda’s fashion industry and the UK market. The partnership with the British High Commission and the University of Westminster offers Rwandan fashion entrepreneurs rare access to global expertise, market insight and networks that are essential for international growth. 

“Entering the UK market can be complex, from meeting compliance and production standards to positioning brands for global buyers, and this programme helps demystify that process. Ultimately, it has the potential to unlock sustainable export opportunities, long-term partnerships and greater global visibility for Rwandan fashion, strengthening the country’s creative economy as a whole.”

Virginia Grose, Head of the School of Arts at the University of Westminster, added: “This initiative brings together education, enterprise and international collaboration. It enables meaningful exchange between entrepreneurs, students and industry networks, helping participating designers to build practical skills and professional connections for global markets.”

Judith Fessehaie, Head of the ITC SheTrades Initiative, said: “Rwanda’s fashion entrepreneurs bring strong design talent and a clear sense of identity to their work. What often determines whether they can export is access to the right networks, market insight and preparation for international buyers. Through this partnership with the University of Westminster and partners in Rwanda and the UK, we are helping Rwandan entrepreneurs strengthen how they present, position and grow their businesses in global markets. Exchanges like this matter because they connect skills with opportunity, and creativity with concrete commercial pathways.”

Darrel Kofkin, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship in the School of Organisations, Economy and Societies, added: “With support from the British High Commission in Rwanda, we are delighted to collaborate with SheTrades in this next phase of the programme. This investment deepens the level of tailored support we can offer to the entrepreneurs, helping them strengthen their businesses, access new markets and build long term, sustainable growth, as well as supporting them in the crucial period before they come to London in the summer.”

Through supporting skills development, enterprise growth and international market readiness for Rwanda’s fashion entrepreneurs, the partnership directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society. 

Find out about the School of Organisations, Economy and Society and School of Arts at the University of Westminster.

Learn more about the Ignite Fund and how to support aspiring professionals at Westminster.