Thanks to the knowledge Francine gained from ForAfrika’s training sessions, and loans from the VSLA, she established a kitchen garden, locally called akarima k’igikoni.

“We bought seeds and planted onions, carrots, spinach, cabbages, beans, and pumpkins. I also planted bananas, arrowroot, sugarcane, and cassava. My family is now food secure,” she says.

Through kitchen gardening, women like Francine are simultaneously improving their household incomes and nutritional status. Socrate Mbonigaba, ForAfrika Rwanda’s Field Officer, explains:

“We brought these women together and trained them in saving, loans, entrepreneurship, and kitchen gardening. The training empowered them to realise they can meaningfully contribute to the local economy.”

For Francine and Eugene, farming has become easier thanks to access to water and manure.

“Our land is fertile, and we no longer need to buy fertiliser. Waste from our pigs, cows, and chickens provides enough compost to keep the soil productive,” Francine says.

She attributes their farming success to the entrepreneurship training received through the VSLA.

“Recently, we took another loan of Rwf 10,000 (USD 6.94) and bought five chicks, which are now laying eggs. We eat some and sell the rest, which allows us to save weekly. A single egg sells for around Rwf 200 (USD 0.14), that’s a decent profit.”

The Turengereubuzima VSLA group initially received four pigs from ForAfrika, and the number of pigs has since multiplied. Most members now own at least one pig.

“Our goal is for every member to have at least one pig by the end of December. We aim to build economic resilience and lift households out of poverty. We’ve also ensured every household has a kitchen garden to combat malnutrition,” says Mubandakazi Domina, the group’s chairperson.