Following two previous visits to Burundi this year, John McCready will be making his third visit, beginning on October 4, 2023. This updating NEWSLETTER announces two resignations and three new agriculture development projects.
TWO RESIGNATIONS
With great thanks for their long-term, excellent service and support for more than a decade, the US-based Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund announces the resignation of two of our members of the United States Advisory Committee; Mr. Lloyd Ganton and Rev. Burton Hamilton. Both Lloyd and Burton were among the original founding members and both resigned for health related reasons.
Of course, we will miss Lloyd and Burton at our meetings but we will long remember their contributions to and their support for the HMODF and its Founder, John McCready. We want everyone to know that Lloyd and Burton made significant, lasting contributions that will serve as a sound foundation for ongoing benefits and increasing impact. Thank you very, very much!
Lloyd Ganton
Lloyd has been a long-term, faithful and strong supporter of the Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund (HMODF) and its Founder and Program Director (John McCready). The HMODF has been very fortunate to have had the benefit of Lloyd’s leadership, knowledge, skills, experience, wisdom and moral and financial support. Lloyd was a particularly strong supporter and advocate of the HMODF and John McCready being significantly involved with Hope Africa University (HAU) in the development of the new Agriculture Program. The HAU/HMODF Organization Partnership, the related Memorandum of Understanding and the current connecting of HMODF Project Managers and HAU Agriculture Program Graduates, are directly related to Lloyd’s verbal and written advocacy to HAU Rector Victor BARANTOTA. Thank you very much Lloyd!
Rev. Burton Hamilton
The Advisory Committee members are grateful for the significant and lasting contributions that Burton Hamilton made to the development of the HMODF. With a calm demeanour and on-point input in our discussions, Burton freely shared his knowledge, skills, experience and wisdom. Burton contributed to developing a solid program foundation with a successful development project model that will continue to serve the HMODF very well into the future. In addition to his contributions to the development and beginnings of the organization and its development work, Burton will be remembered as a humble, nice, kind, generous, insightful and progressively-minded man with a great sense of humour. Thank you very much Burton!
THREE NEW AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Following the Call for Proposals 2023, the US-based HMODF is pleased to announce the distribution of a one-time, start-up grant to three new agriculture development projects. Thanks to the support of HAU Rector Victor BARANTOTA and the strong cooperation of HAU Agriculture Program Head Cyprien NTUNZWENIMANA, we are hoping to connect each of the three Project Managers and their Project Beneficiaries with at least one of the recent Hope Africa University Agriculture Program Graduates.
Supporting Vulnerable Women and Single Mothers in Cultivating Crops and Breeding Pigs at Gasenyi in Mutimbuzi Commune
Project Manager: Epithace NDUWAYO
Epithace NDUWAYO holds two different Bachelor’s Degrees; Psychology of Education from the University of Burundi and Bible and Theology from Hope Africa University. Since 2019, Epithace NDUWAYO has been a successful Project Manager of a successful HMODF development agriculture project at Musenyi. He is both in the top leadership of the well-known local association APADECO and in his church. A qualified trainer in project monitoring and evaluation, Epithace also works as an agent in charge of listening and socio-professional guidance at the Muyaga Professional Training Center.
We will be trying to connect Epithace with HAU Agriculture Program Graduate Jean Luc NKURUNZIZA from Mutimbuzi Commune and we are hoping for collaboration with reciprocal benefits.
This project will be implemented at Gasenyi Colline, Mutimbuzi Commune in Bujumbura Province, located in northern part of the town of Bujumbura. In this locality, the Project Manager actually observed so many women abandoned by their husband as well as the single mothers who are struggling in caring for their respective families. Most of them are hopeless of life and live in extreme poverty. They are not able to support their needs and take care of their children. They live a very complicated life because their mind is not opened to the development activities and still underestimate themselves. Although some vulnerable women and single mothers have the capacity to work, they continue to face several constraints that limit their participation in the livestock and agriculture. The lack of access to land for cultivation , lack of access to capital, lack of skills for value addition are some issues that limit the participation of vulnerable women and single mother in some development activities.
The goal is to put women together, teach them how they can overcome their vulnerability through working together, changing their mindset and engaging in agriculture developmental activities. The project will replace traditional agriculture methods by teaching the women modern, more productive ways of farming crops and breeding animals. The project is expected to change their economic status and become self-supporting.
Developing the Association
The methods and techniques to be used in this association are participative and integrative methods. The first step is to meet local leaders to explain about HARAGEZE Association which literally means ‘’It’s Time’’ Association. The second step is to meet selected beneficiaries to explain the purpose of the project and condition to adhere. Beneficiaries will democratically elect the committee members composed by the President, Secretary and the Treasurer. Committee members will also do the registration of the association at the commune level. Beneficiaries will get trainings on leadership, entrepreneurship, cooperatives and project management. An account will be opened in COOPEC to ensure the security of money. The following elements will guide the association members: creativity, encouragement of team work, collaboration and training members.
Cultivating Crops
The Project Manager will collaborate with the committee members to identify the available land to rent for maize and sign rental agreement with a landowner in the presence of all members. Together with the committee members, the Project Manager will purchase materials and distributed to all members. The Project Manager will collaborate with the local agronomist to train members on maize farming. Each member will participate in organized association activities such as laboring, weeding, pumping and harvesting. For each harvest, members will share 50 % and sell 40% for the coming activities. 10% will be kept for seeds.
Breeding Pigs
Pigs are among domestic animal whose growth is quickly and resistant to the illness. In this association, we will purchase 3 adult female pigs which belong to the association. The first generation will be distributed to the beneficiaries. When it happen that the female pigs give birth of many piglets for the first generation, the remaining piglets will be sold to increase the capital to be using for giving loans to the association members in need.
To have animals which belong to the association members, it is a way to make the project sustainable. We sometimes note that the manure from pigs cannot support all the activities based on agriculture after the end of the grant. In that case, association members would decide to sell one or two piglets of the association to continue the activities. If any unexpected problem happens, the association members can also use its pigs to generate money and the project will remain stable.
Microfinancing
The association members will have weekly meetings each Thursday and Friday to discuss on association evolution, collective work and give a contribution of 1000 BIF per week. It will also be a good time to give loans to the beneficiaries; repayable loans with 5% interest.
The association members will also be encouraged to work for a general income activity such as working for others, buying and reselling, etc. The 50% of the income will be kept in the association account and other 50% will be shared among the involved members in such activity.
Supporting Vulnerable Women of Gitunga , Kayokwe Commune, Mwaro Province by Cultivating Crops and Breeding Pigs
Project Manager: Liliane BUTOYI
Liliane BUTOYI holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching Methods at the University of Burundi-Institute for Applied Pedagogy and a Master’s Degree in the Community Development from Hope Africa University. Liliane currently works both as a support manager for the academic secretariat and secretary of the permanent committee responsible for organizing the Remedial English course at Hope Africa University. From 2020, she was elected as a member of the communal council of Kayokwe, her native commune in MWARO Province. She is highly motivated by the socio-economic initiatives of rural women.
Mwaro Province is one of eighteen provinces of Burundi. It is the central province of Burundi. The project will take place at Gitunga, one of the collines of Muyebe Zone where there is observed a great number of illiterate poor women and widows who actually live by crop cultivation and animal husbandry, using the traditional methods. Those vulnerable women overexploit their small land for the general provision of their families. The majority of Gitunga families are living in poverty and the women and children are becoming more victims. Women and children cannot get enough food after the planting season when there are less activities in the community of Gitunga. Malnutrition is at the door of many families. This project aims to alleviate poverty, generate income and become self-supporting by developing an association, cultivating crops, breeding pigs and microfinancing.
We have connected Liliane with HAU Agriculture Program Graduate Alfred BIKORIMANA from Mwaro Province, Kayokwe Commune and we are hoping for collaboration with reciprocal benefits.
Developing the Association
This project association is made up by 10 members who were selected by the help of the local administration. The vulnerable women will be encouraged to put their effort in whatever they do for they have to be first responsible for themselves thus the name of INGUVU Association which is literally translated as Effort Association. In validating the membership, each beneficiary will sign an agreement to ensure that they will follow rules and regulations of the association. This association will be registered at the colline level for its sustainability. The associates will be assisted in electing their officers that is the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
To become self-governing, the officers will organize weekly meetings so that every associate can participate in decision-making process. The officers will give the main directives and guidance for all the functions of this project.
Beneficiaries will participate in crop cultivation, animal breeding and microfinancing. They will also participate in sharing and selling the harvest to improve self-managing ability.
Crop Cultivation
For the crop cultivation to become self-supporting, the association is planning the both season’s activities in growing crops. The main crops will be the potatoes for the rainy season and the vegetables during the dry season. This function will cost the BIF equivalent of 750 USD. The grant money of this project will be used in renting 3 hectares of land, purchasing selected seeds and different agriculture products. They will need some training sessions on using modern practices in cultivating the land for increasing productivity. The officers of the association will facilitate and coordinate the related activities of sowing seeds together with the agronomist.
After the harvest, the beneficiaries will share 60% of harvest for their respective families. The beneficiaries will save 10% of the harvests to serve as the seeds for the next cultivation season. The association will sell 30% of the harvest to sustain the crop cultivation function. In this way, the crop cultivation will become self-supporting.
Animal Husbandry
After realizing that the crop cultivation has become self-supporting and self-sustaining, the association members will proceed with animal husbandry that will cost the BIF equivalent of 750 USD.
In the beginning, the Project Manager will encourage the association members to understand that the animals (3 adult pigs) belong to the association. The Project Manager will collaborate with the agronomist from the commune to train the beneficiaries about animal husbandry using modern ways. The Project Manager and the officers will be assisted by the agronomist to purchase the adult female pigs: a receipt will be signed and handed to the Project Manager for safe-keeping. The association members will benefit the piglets from the first generation. Each member will get the female piglet to breed for the benefits of her own and family members. The other generations will belong to the association. The pigs will serve as package for supporting the self-support and sustainability of the association. However, all the association members will be responsible in caring for these association adult pigs. These pigs will be raised in a well prepared and secure pig-pen.
Microfinance
To ensure that microfinancing function becomes self-sustaining, the Project Manager will encourage the association members to give a weekly contribution of 200 BIF. The weekly collected amount will kept in the box with three locks. The box will be kept by the Treasurer. The keys will kept by different association members who are not among the officers. In the case of the need of a withdrawal from the bank account or the microfinance box, the association members will hold a meeting and to consider and approve a withdrawal.
The association members will be encouraged to take refundable loans with 3% interest in order to start some income generating activities and to become socio-economic independent. When an association member will need to start a small business or for any other understandable reason, the association will vote on a distribution of a refundable loan with an interest of 3%. Once approved, the loan will be issued. For the security of the association money, the association members will determine how much money will be kept in the box. The extra money will be kept on the association bank account. The association members will also be encouraged to work for a general income activity such as working for others, buying and selling, etc. The 30% of the income will be kept in the association account and 70% will be equally charted among the involved members in such activity.
Cultivating Crops and Breeding Goats for Vulnerable Women from Muzinda Zone, Rugazi Commune, Bubanza Province
Project Manager: Viola NSHEMEZIMANA
Viola NSHEMEZIMANA holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sciences of Education: English Option and a Master’s Degree in Community Development from Hope Africa University. She is working at Hope Africa University in Human Resource Management and as a part-time teacher. Since February 2021, Viola has been a successful Project Manager of ‟Supporting Vulnerable Women of Rubirizi, Mutimbuzi by Cultivating Rice and Breeding Goats.” The project was submitted for a Call for Proposals, aimed at the graduates of Hope Africa University’s Community Development Master’s Program. As a Project Manager from Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund, Viola attended the Collaborative Agriculture Development Workshop.
We will be trying to connect Viola with an HAU Agriculture Program in Bubanza Province and we are hoping for collaboration with reciprocal benefits.
BUBANZA is the northwest province of the country of Burundi and is located beside the KIBIRA forest. Rugazi is one of the four communes of Bubanza province. It is at 18 kilometres from Bujumbura downtown. The population of Muzinda zone has been strongly affected by the civil war that left behind widows and orphans. They are surviving by working for other farmers’ lands using their hands. They are lack of enough food and suffer from malnutrition. They have lost hope for their future.
This project will have four main functions such as: developing the association, crop cultivation, animal husbandry and microfinancing.
Developing the Association
As a result of the good collaboration with the local administration, eight vulnerable women made up by widows and women from poor families will be identified and recruited as the project beneficiaries and members of the project association. The beneficiaries, members of the project association will sign the agreement to be loyal and active members of the association. The association will be registered on the colline level under the name of UMUGORE NKINGI Y’ITERAMBERE which is literally translated as “A Wife Is the Pillar of Development.” In order to strengthen the democratic process within the association, the members will be involved in decision making. Participative method will be applied during the regular weekly meetings. They will elect themselves the officers made up by a President, a Secretary-treasurer and an Advisor. The officers will be in charge of organizing activities in collaboration with the association members. They will also be responsible of scheduling regular weekly meetings to support and strengthen the self-help group idea.
With guidance from the Project Manager and through crop cultivation, animal husbandry and microfinancing, the project association is expected to invest the one-time start-up grant to become self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining. When the association and the project are strong, the Project Manager will encourage the beneficiaries to develop an extension replication project with its own project association.
Cultivating Corn and Soya
In the way of preparing the collaboration within the association members, the Project Manager will train the beneficiaries about the modern productive agriculture methods. This will help the beneficiaries to be updated on different agriculture techniques that increases the harvest. The members of UMUGORE NKINGI Y’ITERAMBERE Association intend to cultivate corn and soya as their primary crops in order to positively respond to their lack of food. As they don’t have their own land, they will rent the field of two hectares in the project grant money. The remaining crop cultivation grant money will be expended in purchasing some hoes, manure, fertilizer, selected seeds of corn and soya, and some equipment. The beneficiaries will be in charge of the activities related to land preparation, planting, weeding, applying fertilizers, caring for crops and harvesting. The beneficiaries will share 40% of the harvest, 10% will be saved for seed and the remaining 50% will be sold and the money will be kept by the association to support ongoing, self-supporting crop cultivation.
Breeding Goats
After crop cultivation has become self-supporting, the remaining grant money will be used to purchase 8 female goats and some medicines. The goats will belong to the association. The beneficiaries will be in charge of feeding, caring for and protecting the goats from thieves. After the goats have baby goats, each beneficiary will be given a female goat from the first generation. The remaining generation will be shared between the association and the beneficiary in charge of caring for the goat. With the association and the beneficiaries owning goats, the association and the beneficiaries share in and benefit from income generation from selling goats when needed.
Microfinancing
After implementing the project association, and finalizing the procedures related to signing the membership agreement, the Project Manager will train the association members about saving and loaning approach and its relevant benefits. Thus, the initial capital for microfinance will come from the grant money. The equivalent of 50 USD (100,000 BIF) will be put on the microfinance as a start-up investment. The beneficiaries will be encouraged to contribute 500 BIF per week.
The money will be kept securely and used for low interest of 2%, repayable loans to allow the faithful members of the self-group to pursue income generating activities. The beneficiaries will be encouraged to secure additional work from other people. If additional work is secured and pursued, the association will receive 50% of the proceeds and the remaining 50% will be distributed fairly to women for themselves and their families.
If you would like to invest in agriculture development that works, please visit donations section; Donations – Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund (haleymccreadyfund.com).