Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
Ambuluwawa Tower
Hesperus Mountain.
Hesperus Mountain
Miniature Collection at Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Rwanda Kigali Nyamirambo Women’s Center
AO Edited

Nyamirambo Women’s Center

This center in the Rwandan capital supports women’s livelihoods while educating visitors about traditional cooking, craft making, and more.

Kigali, Rwanda

Added By
Maggie Andresen
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Nyamirambo market   Getty Images/The Washington Post
Nyamirambo neighborhood   Getty Images/Inti St. Clair
Nyamirambo   Francisco Anzola/CC BY 2.0
Onatracom Mosque in Nyamirambo   Francisco Anzola/CC BY 2.0
Nyamirambo   Francisco Anzola/CC BY 2.0
Nyamirambo   Francisco Anzola/CC BY 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 2007, Rwanda’s parliament had the highest female representation in the world at 48.75 percent. But that equal representation wasn’t trickling down to women in Nyamirambo, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the capital city of Kigali. In response to the gender-based violence, discrimination, and gender inequality they were facing, 18 women came together to create the Nyamirambo Women Center (NWC), a community space with a mission of combating these prolific issues. Today, Rwanda retains its place at the top of global female parliamentary representation at 61.25 percent, and the NWC has evolved into a self-sustaining vocational and educational community center that supports more than 50 families.

Women in Rwanda are known as umutima wa murugo, “the heart of the home,” and were essential to rebuilding the country in the aftermath of the Rwandan Civil War. After the horrific 1994 genocide, during which between 800,000 and more than one million people were slaughtered, women were estimated to make up around 70 percent of the population.

The NWC follows that tradition of women-led solutions, evolving from a care center into a small business cooperative with the Umutima (heart) project, founded in 2013. The initiative supports vocational training in craft making and tailoring for women in the community. Clothing, home decor, and accessories are handmade out of kitenge fabric, banana leaves, sisal plant fiber, palm leaves, and more. In 2014, NWC founded a community library with books in Kinyarwanda, English, and French to encourage children’s literacy. The center also holds classes in English, reading, computer literacy, sewing, and weaving for adults. Umutima members can access workshops on mental health, women’s rights, and nutrition.

For tourists, the NWC offers guided walking tours of Nyamirambo led by members of the Umutima cooperative. For $15 (plus an extra $3 for lunch), participants learn about the neighborhood, visit two mosques, tour a hair salon, and learn to pound cassava. Guests can also elect to take lessons in cooking or basket weaving, each for the same price. All profits go right back to running NWC and paying the wages of Umutima cooperative members.

Related Tags

Culture Shops Tourism Crafts Community Center Women Empowerment Women

Know Before You Go

Bring a light rain jacket if you’re visiting Rwanda in the rainy season, which is heavy between late March and May, and light between September and December. Nyamirambo is hilly, and some streets are cobblestone, so be sure to wear sneakers or walking shoes.

Tours are offered year-round, but be sure to check on public holidays and during genocide commemoration (April 7 and the week following).

If you want to book a tour or class, reach out to NWC via WhatsApp at +250 782 111 860, or via email at nwcoffice.kigali@gmail.com. The NWC center itself sells cooperative-made souvenirs, so bring some extra cash beyond what you’ll use for a tour/class.

Community Contributors

Added By

maggieandresen

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

November 15, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.hrw.org/reports/1996/Rwanda.htm
Nyamirambo Women’s Center
KN 132 St
Kigali
Rwanda
-1.96496, 30.062885
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Rock of Kamegeri

Rwanda

miles away

Kakira Imigongo Cooperative

Rwanda

miles away

Dian Fossey's Grave

Musanze, Rwanda

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kigali

Kigali

Rwanda

Places 2

Nearby Places

The Rock of Kamegeri

Rwanda

miles away

Kakira Imigongo Cooperative

Rwanda

miles away

Dian Fossey's Grave

Musanze, Rwanda

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kigali

Kigali

Rwanda

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

Growing the Atlas

Podcast

By The Podcast Team

14 Places Created By and For Women

List

By Michelle Cassidy

Our Favorite Newly Added Places Across Africa

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Weaving a traditional palm leaf basket

    Vaiaku, Tuvalu

    Tuvalu Women’s Handicraft Centre

    Ancient weaving techniques are used to create these colorful souvenirs.

  • Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Aletta Henrïette Jacobs

    This plaque marks the former home of one of the first women physicians in the Netherlands.

  • Turning Point Plaza viewed from the back side of the memorial

    Lorton, Virginia

    Turning Point Suffragist Memorial

    The first national memorial to honor all women suffragists stands on land where suffragists were once imprisoned.

  • FONART Patriotismo.

    Mexico City, Mexico

    FONART Patriotismo

    This warehouse-gallery-shop hybrid showcases Mexican craftwork at its best.

  • Several smaller alebrijes for sale in Tilcajete.

    San Martín Tilcajete, Mexico

    Alebrijes of San Martín Tilcajete

    This Oaxacan town is known for its colorful fantastical creatures hand-carved by local artisans.

  • Via dei Presepi

    Naples, Italy

    Via dei Presepi

    Every day is like Christmas on this street where the traditional Neapolitan nativity scene comes to life.

  • The Dinner Party.

    Brooklyn, New York

    'The Dinner Party'

    This enormous banquet-themed artwork honors over 1,000 notable women throughout history.

  • Musée de La Femme

    Marrakesh, Morocco

    Musée de La Femme (Women’s Museum)

    North Africa's first museum of its kind preserves the culture of Moroccan women and their artistic achievements. 

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.