Women Empowerment for Sustainable Development

Dear Donors,

We are happy to share with the quarterly report for this project “The Women Empowerment for Sustainable Development” on the activities implemented by Aspire Rwanda to initiate a piggery project to
address some of the economic challenges of the beneficiaries. The piggery project has continued to stand out as a credible venture which has resulted into some of the most profound achievements for the project.

Achievements of the quarterly activities:

1. The manure from the pig rearing has enabled the beneficiaries to improve food yields and therefore address food insecurity.
2. Beneficiaries have been able to acquire skills, share experiences and resolve challenges pertaining to piggery rearing during piggery project review meetings.
3. Involvement in pig rearing at household level have had their incomes improved.
4. There is noted improvement in the local breeds as a result of crossbreeding with Piggery project better breeds.

Beneficiaries use the skills they learned through the piggery project to care for the animals

Challenges:

1. There is a spike in the cost of feed.
2. Given the benefits of the project to the beneficiaries, the demand for scaling up the project toother beneficiaries grows.
3. The pigs contracted infections which was failed to diagnose, leading to the death of some of them. They need permanent vets for the treatment.

Actions and Suggestions:

1. We have advised members of the beneficiaries to use the manure from the project to grow their own feeds to save money and respond to the price hikes.
2. We have encouraged beneficiaries to be patient and pray for more successes of the project so as to enable a scale up.
3. We have contacted the local vets for diagnosis and subsequent solutions to infections. They have promised to come to our rescue.
4. Whereas we are aware of the benefits of permanent pigsties to the beneficiaries, we do not have the resources to actualize this challenge. We do request for support in this area.

Conclusion:

Besides the above mentioned challenges, the piggery project is on track. It is enabling the Aspire Rwanda to transform in a better way and is empowering women to respond to challenges to community development.

We thank you so much for your support on this project and we would like to support in making a difference in the lives of more women.  We encourage you to donate monthly here. Even a few dollars a month will go a long way. Please also share this with your contacts and invite them to consider supporting this ongoing project. Thank you .

Dear Donors,

We are happy to share with the quarterly report for this project. The Women Empowerment for Sustainable Development project is still implemented by Aspire Rwanda. The project aims to train women from poor households through agricultural extension education that promotes Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in animal and crop husbandry with a focus on economic empowerment. The women and youth have been also be trained on making organic manure from pig shelter waste that can be used as well as sold for income. The participation of the women and youth in the piggery farming provided opportunities to expand their piggery unit to small livestock farms therefore creating employment opportunities to other youth in their communities.

The project empowered the youth to improve their well-being through farming and generating income from pig farming, the sale of pigs and piglets, agroforestry through planting of fruit trees (avocado) whose avocado fruits can be sold. The beneficiaries’ engagement in the avocado value chain will provide future opportunities to participate in the local and export markets of avocado and earn income. The project encouraged the beneficiaries to save money earned from the sale of piglets in the microfinance institution as well as venture in to other income generation activities in order to diversify their income streams

Main result(s) – output level

• The training on pig farming has increased the knowledge and awareness of the beneficiaries about pig artificial insemination and its productivity, pig feeding techniques based on home leftovers, pig breeds adapted in the region.
• They acquired skills heat detection (Estrus cycle) and basic skills about disease management and prevention.
• They are able to implement nursing care of piglets and weaners
• They formed groups and were connected with other existing pig farmers’ platform
• They are able to set a layout and construct a pig shelter
• Youth are optimistically doing pig farming.
• Social networking of youth.
• Youth negative beliefs on pig farming have been changed.
• Increment of pig population in the district.
•  avocado seedlings planted
• Participants gained knowledge and skills on avocado agronomy and market (Local & Export)
• Participants agreed to be involved in climate change and environment adaptation

We thank you so much for your support on this project and we would like to support in making a difference in the lives of more women.  We encourage you to donate monthly here. Even a few dollars a month will go a long way. Please also share this with your contacts and invite them to consider supporting this ongoing project. Thank you .

Best wishes,