Made in Rwanda: Chinese-owned garment firm helps Rwanda's manufacturing industry

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In Rwanda, a Chinese-owned garment company is helping revive the local manufacturing industry. CGTN's Vauldi Carelse has this report.

These clothes may not runway ready, but they proudly bear the logo Made in Rwanda. C&H Garments - a Chinese-owned company - is helping revive the manufacturing sector in the county, by training and employing mainly young Rwandans.

SAIDI HITIMANA MARKETING MANAGER, C&H GARMENTS "We export our clothes to US, Europe and we are now targeting the African region, we are starting with East Africa and then West Africa. We get our raw material mainly from China."

Each line here can produce 4000 jackets, 3000 t-shirts and 500 trousers, every single day. One of their biggest clients is the government of Rwanda - But they're hoping more locals will start buying their line of the clothes.

VAULDI CARELSE KIGALI, RWANDA This garment factory was one of the first to set up shop in Kigali's Special Economic Zone three years ago. It's grown from employing just two hundred people to over a thousand. But it's the exchange of culture that management is most proud of.

SAIDI HITIMANA MARKETING MANAGER, C & H GARMENTS "We have one culture in C&H, we need to make one family. We work with Chinese we have to get each other. That's why Chinese learn English, Rwandese learning Chinese, it will be better to collaborate. So now I know Chinese and I understand them, it's good. Very good."

JEAN CLAUDE NSHIMIYMUKIZA EMPLOYEE "The cooperation between the Chinese and Rwandese is better because they minimize the number of unemployment that's why I say the cooperation is good."

ORNELLA EMPLOYEE "We Rwandans, we are proud Chinese who came here to make clothing. Now Rwandans are stopping from buying stuff from outside, we are going to make it ours. We are proud of Chinese, who came here to each us to make new things."

The factory is planning to expand even further - As government is planning to ban second-hand clothes imports next year. Vauldi Carelse. CGTN. Kigali, Rwanda.