Emelyne practising the art of makeup and building confidence through creativity
Supported by FAET through school and later through SheCreates, Emelyne is turning a childhood passion into a business
Emelyne was just two years old when her father died, leaving her mother to raise six children with no steady income. Food, school fees and necessities were often out of reach, and Emelyne worried she might not be able to finish her education.
When she was in Level 3 at the Rwanda School of Creative Art and Music, FAET began supporting her with school fees and materials. “Their support gave me peace of mind,” she says, and it allowed her to focus on her studies. She went on to earn a diploma in singing.
Her real passion, though, began when her older sister showed her a makeup video, and she declared, “I can do that!” She practised on herself, her sisters and her friends. After a spell selling clothes, she left to pursue makeup full-time.
She began with very little: a few products in a school bag and no phone of her own, so she borrowed friends’ phones to film her looks and share them online.
Emelyne then applied to SheCreates, the FAET funded programme supporting young women entrepreneurs. Mentorship and support helped her upgrade her makeup kit, sharpen her skills and build trust with clients. Her beauty business is still growing, and she is proud of how far she has come.