Saving for a future: The Village Savings and Loans Associations have afforded people like Uwimana economic freedom
It is incredible what a small sum of money can do for a family in Rwanda
Alemshet Teshale
Uwimana Flavianne lives with her family in the quiet village of Rwuki, located in Rwanda’s Muhanga district.
The 30-year-old’s life was defined by hardship. She did not work and her husband also struggled to secure steady employment. Trying to feed, clothe and educate three children seemed like an insurmountable challenge.
However, Uwimana’s life changed when she joined one of ForAfrika’s community projects, which uses Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres as an entry point to development and transformation.
Like other mothers, she now had a safe place where her children would be taken care of while she joined a farming group and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA).
Freedom through farming
Through the farming group she acquired agricultural skills and was given the opportunity to plant crops on a communal plot. She and her colleagues harvested various vegetables over a few months. Some of the vegetables were used to feed their families, and the surplus was sold at the market. Alongside personal income, group profits were put into the VSLA fund from which loans can be taken.
Uwimana secured a loan of 100,000 Rwandan Francs – the equivalent of about $80. This modest capital infusion marked a turning point in her life. She used a portion of it to rent a plot of land for further agricultural development and the rest was wisely invested in opening a small shop stocked with essential goods.
Today, Uwimana’s shop is a thriving business and has enabled her to achieve her dream of building a house with three rooms.
This achievement is particularly profound after years of living in a modest one-room rented house.
Uwimana’s story is a testament to the transformational impact of community-driven initiatives and individual perseverance. It underscores that with access to opportunities and an unyielding spirit, one can surmount life’s challenges and build a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones.
Alemshet Teshale is Programme Manager in Rwanda
