{"id":94403,"date":"2025-01-20T17:50:26","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T17:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/meet-didius-hategekimana-an-innovator-whos-turned-cow-horns-into-a-gold-mine"},"modified":"2025-01-21T18:02:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T18:02:17","slug":"meet-didius-hategekimana-an-innovator-whos-turned-cow-horns-into-a-gold-mine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/culture-and-art\/meet-didius-hategekimana-an-innovator-whos-turned-cow-horns-into-a-gold-mine","title":{"rendered":"Meet Didius Hategekimana, an innovator who’s turned cow horns into a gold mine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Didius Hategekimana, a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Gahanga Sector in Kicukiro District, has created a business that turns cow horns into furniture and jewelry.<\/p>\n

In an interview with The New Times, at the Kigali exhibition running from January 16 to 21, Hategekimana explained his journey of innovation and growth, highlighting the significance of his work in the context of both local and international markets.<\/p>\n

He is part of a group of diverse young people with innovative projects, including winners of YouthConnekt awards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won in the recent ArtsConnect competition in visual arts, which gave me the opportunity to showcase my work at this exhibition. It has been an exciting experience because it allows me to introduce my products to a wider audience. Many people passing by have approached me, showing interest in what I do.”<\/p>\n

His business journey began in 2020, and he has developed from creating simple jewelry such as earrings to now producing furniture, including tables and chairs made from cow horns.<\/p>\n

“I started with jewelry, and now I can produce furniture from horns, incorporating the horns into the legs of the tables and chairs to make them visually attractive,” he said.<\/p>\n

Hategekimana said he was motivated to start his business after observing how cow horns were being discarded in rural areas.<\/p>\n

“I noticed that cow horns were being thrown away in many rural areas, attracting flies and polluting the environment. I asked myself why the rest of the cow was being utilized, even their hooves in dishes like cassava leaves soup, yet the horns were discarded. I realized there was potential in the horns, and this sparked my curiosity,” he explained.<\/p>\n

He conducted research and discovered that cow horns could be transformed into a variety of useful products.<\/p>\n

With more than 1.5 million cattle in Rwanda, and a growing demand for beef, Hategekimana says there is a lot of raw materials for his products.<\/p>\n

He has become a player in the supply chain for horn-based products, acting as the primary distributor of raw horns to local manufacturers of Made in Rwanda products.<\/p>\n

His business is not only contributing to the local economy but also promoting sustainable practices by turning what would otherwise be disposed of into valuable products.<\/p>\n

In addition to his local business, Hategekimana’s products have found an international market. “I export jewelry such as earrings, rings, and decorative items to countries like France and the USA,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Being able to make products from something that was once considered waste and turning it into items that are both beautiful and functional has been incredibly rewarding.”<\/p>\n

The National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) has also launched \u201cInnovate for Cow Biohackathon\u201d, an initiative to support young innovators in the cattle livestock value chain.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Innovate for Cow Biohackathon for young innovators seeks to unlock the potential for innovation for cows and cow by-products; especially in leather, medicinal, cosmetic, fertilizer, animal feeds and creative arts,\u201d said Dr. Christian Sekomo Birame, NIRDA Director General.<\/p>\n

A collage of photos of his furniture and jewelry.<\/p>\n\r\n