September 2004

The last quarter was a very busy one for the Rwanda office, with staff traveling to the US, a number of national holidays, and a visit from Women for Women International supporters. It also marked the beginning of the Rwanda Chapter’s transition to a 100% national staff.

In June, staff members Berra and Anne-Marie and I attended the annual Country Director’s meeting in Washington, DC with the directors from all of Women for Women International’s country offices. This was the Rwanda staff’s first opportunity to see Women for Women International’s headquarters and to meet so many of the people with whom we communicate regularly. It was their first time in the US, and they were particularly struck by the busy multi-tasking of Americans as they raced down the street with cell phones in one hand and lunch in the other! The visit has had a significant impact on our program already as the first-hand understanding of all of our operations makes it easier to work together.

The first week of July was an important time in Rwanda. July 1st was Independence Day and July 4th was Liberation Day, making the end of the 100-day period of genocide in 1994. This anniversary was a call to the international community to assess its progress towards peace in the world. Ongoing scuffles in eastern Congo, and rumor of Rwandan involvement, have led many to wonder if peace will ever come to the Great Lakes region in Africa. In August, an ethnically driven massacre in a refugee transit camp in Burundi was yet another reminder that the slogan of the 10-year commemoration in Rwanda, “Never Again,” has yet to be answered.

In the meantime, Rwanda remains calm and Women for Women International continues to expand its efforts to assist socially-excluded women. Malaria prevention was a primary focus of our efforts this quarter. Though often avoidable and treatable, malaria is still a major killer in much of Rwanda. Many people spend huge sums on treatment each year that could otherwise go towards much-needed household items, school fees, or savings. As the rainy season approaches, we are anxious to convince our women of the logic in investing in low-cost prevention, such as mosquito nets, instead of unaffordable medications or even worse implications. So far, many of our participants have expressed interest in purchasing nets and we are working with another organization to make these available here at our office or during field visits.

We also focused a lot of attention this quarter on identifying trainings that will enable women to produce marketable goods. As evidenced by the demand among our participants, durable plastic market baskets are one such item. One of our trainers, Louise, identified two women from her groups who could make the baskets and worked with them to develop a specific curriculum and timeline for teaching the trade. We have now employed these two participants to provide a six-session course to other program participants. Two groups had finished the training by the end of August. Our goal is to develop a reputation as a source of these baskets so that program “graduates” have a consistent outlet for their product. As the government recently banned the inexpensive plastic grocery sacs that litter much of this continent, we are very optimistic about the market potential for this long-lasting, environmentally friendly alternative. The story of Marie Jose, one of the participants who is now teaching women how to make the baskets, is included below.

In an effort to promote our program, but more importantly to generate income for participants, we opened a booth at the annual Rwanda National Expo. Much like a county fair in the US, this nine-day event featured companies, products and services from all over Rwanda and the Great Lakes region. The idea to enter the Expo came at the last minute, but nevertheless, we sold nearly $300 worth of our participants’ products. We’ve since received a number of calls and visits from people who learned of our program while touring Expo.

One of the most exciting events for the Rwanda Chapter this quarter was our visit from Women for Women International Founder and CEO Zainab Salbi and two Women for Women International supporters who live in the US. The group spent time in the Kimihurura office, visiting with rural participant groups, touring the country and meeting with Rwandan leaders, from the village level to national representatives. The visitors enjoyed their visit and the wide range of experiences they had in Rwanda. It was particularly exciting to introduce sponsor Jill Smith to her participant sister, Esperance. Jill was able to visit Esperance in her home, meet her family, and share stories and experiences first hand.

Last but not least, one of the quarter’s most exciting events was our announcement in late August that Berra Kabarungi will take over as Director of the Rwanda Chapter in October. Berra’s education and early professional experience was in teaching. In the last ten years, Berra focused on efforts to promote women in Rwanda’s reconstruction process, and has several years of experience with Women for Women International.

As I prepare to leave Rwanda, I am thankful for my experience here and with Women for Women International. I know Berra is going to be an excellent Director, and will continue to send updates about the women and our program. Thank you so much for all that you do.

Best Regards,

Wendy Shapiro
Country Director, Women for Women International-Rwanda


Marie Jose's Story

Though she considers Kigali her home, Marie Jose was born in Butare, Rwanda in 1959. Her mother died the day after she was born. Nuns took Marie Jose into their care for a few years and then her grandmother took her in. When she reached her third year of primary school Marie Jose moved to Kigali to join her uncle. She finished primary school in Kigali but could not continue into secondary school. Her uncle asked her to care for his children in exchange for her own provisions. She married a man who lived in the compound with her uncle. They had ten children; only four of them survive today. Her husband and two of her children were killed in the 1994 genocide, and the other children fell sick from various illnesses. She now lives with four kids and two orphans she adopted after the war. Her oldest child is away at school much of the time.

Marie Jose began making plastic market bags in 1984. It was at that time that she saw a man making bags out of rope. She tried to learn the trade, but he would not teach her his skill. Instead, Marie Jose observed him and taught herself how to make the bags. She made the bags out of rope, but found that they were not very durable. In 1996, a staff person at a plastic company in Kigali connected Marie Jose to a foreign woman there. This woman brought them in for three months to weave bags out of plastic strips that the company normally produced for construction work. They found these baskets far more durable than the rope version. Since this time, the plastic company has been selling this inexpensive plastic “rope” from which they produce market bags, now popular in much of Rwanda.

Since joining Women for Women International, Marie Jose now has the resources to cultivate larger customers. Some women from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have started to place orders for the market bags to sell locally. Marie Jose has her children help her, and has now trained some neighbors to fill the orders, as well as other program participants. Through Women for Women International, she is gaining the costing and pricing skills she needs so she can make enough of a profit to reinvest in new materials. She’s off to a great start, and we know she will continue to do well as she increases her business!