How We Work

Our Model

Our Sisters’ Opportunity creates enduring opportunity for young women through education, economic empowerment, and social change. OSO provides comprehensive vocational training for young women through a one-year, accredited program at OSO’s Creative Design Academy. Using a vulnerability selection criteria, OSO students come from rural regions of Rwanda and all receive scholarships for their studies. The Creative Design Academy curriculum immerses students in technical and practical experience, while enriching the whole self. OSO graduates start their own businesses, work together to form new cooperatives, or find ethical employment in Rwanda’s emerging fashion industry. Beyond education, OSO promotes women’s economic empowerment - and Rwanda’s design ecosystem - by supporting regional Entrepreneurship Hubs. To ensure lasting improvement for women and girls, OSO addresses social barriers to women’s empowerment through collaborative gender-based violence prevention programs.

Our Programs

  • Education at the OSO Creative Design Academy

    The Creative Design Academy engages young women in comprehensive vocational and leadership training, preparing them to be independent entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities. The curriculum includes ethical fashion, digital design, entrepreneurship, gender equity & empowerment, leadership, agribusiness, life skills, health education with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention. 

  • Women’s Economic Empowerment

    OSO operates Entrepreneurship Hubs providing retail and innovation spaces for OSO graduates and aspiring Rwandan designers to feature, share, and sell their locally-designed and locally-made products. OSO currently supports Entrepreneurship Hubs in Gakenke District and Kigali City. 

  • Prevention of Gender-Based Violence

    OSO uses gender transformative approaches to end any form of gender-based violence. Using community dialogue sessions, OSO engages rights-holders (OSO students and families) and duty bearers (local leaders) to educate and implement social change, including connecting young women to medical and psychosocial support services.

Additional Programs

  • Secondary school sexual and reproductive health and rights education; distribution of school readiness materials

  • Community agribusiness training including permaculture and environmental conservation techniques

  • COVID-19 community response