J778 Grassroots Rwanda

Our Mission

To empower women through Self Help Groups, entrepreneurship and sustainable community development.

Our Goal

To establish 1000 Self Help Groups for 20,000 women in the next three years.

The Challenge & Opportunity

Nyamagabe is Rwanda's poorest district, located about 2 ½ hours from Kigali. The district is divided into 17 sectors and is home to Kigeme, one of the largest refugee camps in Rwanda.

Statistics give us a glimpse into the struggle and the opportunity:

·        340,000 people live in the district, including 180,000 women

·        More than 40% live on less than US$1 per day, working as farm labourers and subsistence farmers.

·        An estimated 56,000 women are key breadwinners and providers in families with annual incomes under US$100 (extreme poverty).

·        Every woman can directly influence 5 to 9 other people (family members, extended family, community), meaning that over 100,000 people will benefit from Grassroots Rwanda in the next three years.

Our Project

Foxglove partners with AEE Rwanda, an indigenous Rwandan NGO, to identify, gather, train, and equip the poorest women in a rural Rwandan village to start a microbusiness. This does not happen in isolation. Along with knowledge, the women need friendship and community acceptance.

Since 2012, Grassroots Rwanda has seen more than 23,000 women join and remain in a Self Help Group. It is a lifetime decision! 

Why do they stay? The number one reason is friendship, but secondly, after joining a group and receiving training, each woman starts a microbusiness in agriculture, livestock husbandry, handicrafts, or petit trade. From small beginnings, they secure a home, provide private health cover and balanced nutrition for their family, and cover the costs of schooling, clothing, and community participation. In addition, there is a significant reduction in domestic violence and increasing status and value from their community. Everything changes…as she makes her future.

To find out more: https://foxglove-project-33344154499.europe-west2.run.app/projects/rwanda