Sylvie Mukamusoni, 50, founder, the Bambino Super City Amusement Park and Conference Center; Kigali, Rwanda

"I am in a businesswomen’s association, and after the war, we were encouraged to start anything innovative. I saw that all the entertainment was for grown-ups, so I decided on an amusement park. We brainstormed and decided to make it something the whole family could enjoy.

"The government donated the land (about 121 acres) because the project would provide jobs, especially to war widows. More interesting is that the government now understands that not only men can do business. My partners, who are also part of the association, and I paid for everything else. First we used money we’d saved, then I took out a loan.

"We opened in 2006, and we now employ 75 people, plus seasonal help. There are gardens and a large hall with a restaurant. The park includes a race-car track, a UFO ride, little trains, spinning helicopters, bumper cars, a swing. There’s also a pool and picnic areas. There’s no other park like this in Rwanda; it has something for everyone. And places where people can be together help reduce the conflicts between them."

Translation provided by Mukamusoni’s daughter, Diane Pryor.

Bpeace (Business Council for Peace) works with Mukamusoni and other women entrepreneurs in Rwanda and Afghanistan.