In late November, the Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund issued a Call for Proposals for 2017 with a view of funding as many as three new development projects. In response to the Call for Proposals, we received 15 applications and reviewed each proposal very carefully. Following the review, the African Governing Committee members selected three proposals for further consideration.
The three project managers were contacted and they were asked to provide additional information about specific areas of their proposed project. The responses were reviewed by the African Governing Committee and then the Committee recommended that the North American Governing Committee members approve a distribution of money that would allow for three development grants to be provided in support of the three development projects (a $1,500.00 grant for 3 projects = $4,500.00).
- Women Shopkeepers in Buterere Zone, Bujumbura Mairie Province: Project Manager, Audace MPAWENIMANA
- Raising Pigs and Cultivating Crops in Nyamburye Zone, Isale Commune: Project Manager, Desire CIZA
- Supporting Poor Rural Women through Pig Farming in Mutimbuzi Commune, Bujumbura Rural Province: Project Manager, Elise NUWAYO
The Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund, Student Grants Program has now funded 16 development projects in total. The three new development projects and their start-up activities are described below with lots of photographs.
NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Women Shopkeepers in Buterere Zone, Bujumbura Mairie Province: Project Manager, Audace MPAWENIMANA
This carefully thought-out development project was designed and will be guided by a capable, volunteer project manager, Audace MPAWENIMANA. Audace holds a Masters of Business Administration from Hope Africa University. He has successfully served as the volunteer, long term project manager for a previously funded, three year old development project that makes bricks and grows rice; it is our only development project that works with the Batwa people.
For the new project, the project manager has recruited 10 illiterate poor women who did not complete primary school. Through a highly participatory process, the women will be enabled and empowered to improve their living conditions; improve the health, diet, shelter, clothing and education of the women and their families. Through literacy training, business training and investing, the women will be prepared, equipped and supported to become successful shopkeepers.
The women will be organized into a self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining development association. Each woman will be provided with enough capital to rent a stand (a shop), buy equipment and purchase fruits, vegetables and other items for resale through their small shop. The sale of merchandise will produce enough money to continue with the purchasing and selling, supporting their families and supporting the association. As the association builds new capital, other women will be recruited, trained and supported to become shopkeepers.
Start-up Activities
The association of women has been formed, the first installment of money has been received, the training for business had been provided and the training for literacy is underway. This is our first project to include literacy training. It will take 9 months but the women will be able to read and write. Yes, the literacy training has begun and the women will become literate!
The women have already become active shopkeepers. A trainer is teaching the women how to make decorated sheets. The decorated sheets are expected to sell for relatively large sums of money.
The women association shopkeepers are selling a variety of items at a variety of small shops.
PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Audace’s first development project, Making Bricks in Mugaruro Quarter, Buterere Commune, was funded in 2014. This is our only project that involves the Batwa (pygmies). After a loss of members during the 2015 political unrest period, the association had to rebuild its membership. The project has been successful in rebuilding its membership, making and selling bricks and planting, harvesting and selling rice. Recently, the association harvested rice from two large rice fields.
NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Raising Pigs and Cultivating Crops in Nyamburye Zone, Isale Commune: Project Manager, Desire CIZA
This promising development project was designed by Desire CIZA who will be the volunteer project manager. Desire is working on a Master’s degree in the Community Development Department of Hope Africa University and he is the Program Director of Voice of Hope Radio at Hope Africa University. For the past three years, Desire has served as the volunteer project manager for a hugely successful, previously funded development project that involves distributing goats and cultivating crops.
For this new development project, the project manager will recruit 8 poor women to develop an association, raise pigs and cultivate crops. The association members will be trained to become self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining. Moreover, it is expected that the first association will spawn a second association and the second association will produce a third association and so on.
The women will be trained on caring for pigs. The women will be given female pigs and work together to build elevated, sheltered pens for the pigs and feed and care for the pigs that will produce piglets. From each gestation, a woman will keep most of the piglets, one piglet will be given to the association, another piglet will be given to another woman and, as the project grows, more women will be recruited and new associations will be formed and supported to form associations, raise pigs and cultivate crops.
The women will be trained on composting, across-the-hill line planting, inter-cropping, mulching, fertilizing, irrigating, crop rotation and erosion prevention. The project budget will be used to get the women started on collectively cultivating crops. At the beginning, a field will be rented, seed be bought and fertilizer will be purchased. The women will work together to prepare the soil and care for the crop. Part of the harvest will be saved for seed, part will be shared with the women and some will be sold to generate income for the association.
Start-up Activities
The project has recruited members and held three meetings. The first meeting reviewed the vision for the project, explained objectives for the project and formed the association of beneficiaries. The second and third meetings were training sessions with the Area Agronomist.
Having completed the training, the association members have started building elevated, covered pig pens.
PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Desire’s first development project, Breeding Goats at Nyambuye Zone in Isale Commune, began in 2014. It started with one association of women and has spawned two more associations of 30 women each (now a total of 75 women). The first association gave 15 goats to the second association and the 15 women in the first association have a total of 54 goats and one woman has 9 goats. The first association has distributed goats, vegetables and money and it has begun raising and selling ducks.
The second association has 20 goats and the third association has 10 goats. The second and third associations have collaborated on growing crops and operating three stores. The associations have planted, harvested and sold a number of crops and distributed goats, vegetables and money to their members.
NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, NEW PROJECT MANAGER
Supporting Poor Rural Women through Pig Farming in Mutimbuzi Commune, Bujumbura Rural Province: Project Manager, Elise NUWAYO
This well-designed development project was proposed by Elise NUWAYO, who previously started her own pig raising project with her own money. Elise holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Community Development from Hope Africa University. She worked at Hope Africa University from 2012 to 2016 but she is currently a student in the Community Development Masters Program and working on her thesis. Elise will serve as a long term volunteer project manager, use her knowledge and experience and gain additional development skills and experience.
The project manager will recruit 10 poor, rural women who agree to work together to rear pigs and cultivate crops within their own association cooperative. The women will develop their own organization and define the responsibilities and benefits. During the first phase of implementation, the women will be trained on rearing pigs, cultivating crops and working cooperatively.
The women will be given female pigs and assisted in building sheltered, elevated pig pens. The pigs are expected to produce piglets and organic manure. The women will work together in caring for the pigs and the association will decide on how to divide, share and allocate the pigs, crops and income among its members and the association.
After the first year, another group of women will be recruited, assisted with developing their own association, provided with training, assisted in building pig pens and provided with female pigs. By following this project development model, the benefits from the first association will increase the capacities and income for the first group of women and the benefits will be extended to develop the capacities and income for the next associations.
Start-up Activities
The development is project is already underway. The association has been formed and training has taken place. The pig pens have been built and pigs have been purchased.
Following the training, the women built two elevated, covered pig pens.
The association members have already bought and started caring for five, five month old pigs.
