After being pleased for the first rice harvesting, we’re now starting the second season of farming rice, we’re hurrying up in both harvesting and cultivation at the moment to start another good season for better rice as Agronomist said.
After the season one, every woman was so happy for their product as everyone got around 150 kilograms to sell and other around 50 kilograms for their family consumption as they wanted to enjoy for their first rice product.
By now, they are still in the second harvesting period where they’re farming at the moment to take hold of the best farming season, there was an error from Agronomist where a whole swamp delayed in cultivation, that’s why they’re moving quickly to catch up if they are to have a better season.
“From the first and this second rice product, I’m paying school fees for my child and I’m no longer missing the basic home needs, for this coming season, we’re expecting enough harvest as it will be a better season for our Rice cultivation” Said Jeanne, a group leader.
We’re really appreciating your effort to help our community; you’re really changing many lives. Thank you so much!
RVCP team
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Through the collection of money from the harvests, the women have initiated a microcredit lending scheme and it was as a result of the need for an additional income generating activity besides farming. The microcredit scheme will enable the beneficiaries earn more income through micro-businesses in the community and further support the needs of the family.
It is through this need that RVCP has joined the women cooperative in initiating the Microcredit lending scheme. A credit or loan starts from 12,000Rwf (approx 16USD) and is paid within a period of 3 months. So far 10 only have benefited from this scheme and some modes of payment that have been agreed on include payment using the harvest from the farming program.
"I was given 12,000Rwf at the beginning of March to start my tomato selling business and I have managed to pay back the entire amount and that made me eligible for a bigger loan which will help me expand the business. With the small profits that I have made from the business, I can now affrod milk for my children on a daily basis and hopefully once the business grows I plan to buy a cow for my family for milk and manure for the farm. With microcredit scheme, I no longer have to wait for the harvest time to provide good food and milk to the kids." Letitia said, one of the beneficiaries of the microcredit scheme.
The microcredit is designed in a way that once the beneficiary pays back the entire amount , it goes to the next beneficiary and with a small profit which deposited in the already existing saving scheme of the cooperative.
We are currently on the look for more partners to enable this scheme reach the enitre cooperative and support the women.
This would not be possible without your donations as supporters to this cause of enabling mothers in rural Rwanda raise out of poverty. Thank you
After initiating a savings scheme, 10% of the income from the harvest is put into the savings account for the cooperative and a weekly 500Rwf (approximately 0.65 US $) contribution to the scheme, the women are seeing the importance of saving.
" When my youngest daughter caught Malaria at the beginning of this year, I did not have any money with me, I decided to borrow for some money from the savings scheme such that I pay for her health Insurance and also cover her hospital bills. I am really glad I am part of such a great initiative, otherwise I don't even know what would have happened to my daughter. I am confident that I will pay back very soon now that I know how it saved my daughter's life." said Anne Marie one of the cooperative members.
"Having such a scheme is really helpful in such emergency cases" she continued.
The savings scheme is currently supporting their basic needs and in case of emergencies and we hope that through this savings scheme the cooperative will be able to sustain the project in the long term and also be a source of funds to support other income generating activities.
The long awaited rice cultivation started, and the women are in high moods and motivated to work even more. "It is raining moderately and we expect to have a good harvest if it continues like this" Uwamariya one of the beneficiaries said.
Cultivating rice had been our number one priority after the harvest of potatoes had not been quite exciting as anticipated. And we are glad it is underway, while waiting for a few months to harvest. We are now working closely with the local agronomist who advises the cooperative what needs to be done and when.
In order to support the cooperative become sustainable, 50% the proceedings from the harvest will be collected and deposited into the cooperative's bank account, such that they will be able to continue cultivation without extra support from external stakeholders. It is through this that we aim to create a micro-credit fund to support these women while they are waiting for the harvest, and pay once they havest with no interest.
We would like to thank you very for your continous support to help these mothers out of poverty.
With Love,
RVCP Team
The cultivation of Rice didn’t start as it had been anticipated, the local agronomist advised the cooperative against cultivation of Rice in March and advised them to cultivate a different crop such that they would cultivate rice in the ideal conditions thus increase their yield. Before the cultivation of Rice a different crop had to be cultivated while constructing and maintaining the field getting it ready for the Rice season. Irish potatoes were a good option and they planted first, the harvest will contribute to the investment needed in Rice cultivation and also enable them to pay for their families’ health insurance this coming year 2015-2016 that begins in July.
Jeanne (Cooperative Member) said “We are excited about the upcoming rice season as we have always wanted to cultivate rice, now that everything is in place, hopefully we will even buy a vehicle for our cooperative through rice cultivation as it has a great demand on the market because some of these other crops have not been quite a success as we hoped they would be.” Rice has been greatly demanded and the cooperative hope they will gain from this season and compensate for their efforts on other crops that have not been successful as they initially hoped for.
We would like to thank everyone that is continuously supporting this cooperative to create a better life for them and their families.
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