Immaculate at the self help group formation event.
The women listen to the explanation of the self-help group approach and decide if they want to particpate. Most who attend they event will join.
Immaculate spreads a mix of cow manure and grass onto a field as her husband digs pit for planting beans. The mixture is kept in a pit before use, forming a rich wet compost. This is so rich that the beans are sprouting within 48 hours.
Immaculate earns less than one US dollar a day for casual labouring.
Philomene's daughter Ishimwe, 10, fetches water from deep in the valley. The trip back up to the village might only be ten minutes, but the way is steep and she cannot carry a heavy load. Water is precious., fetches water from deep in the valley.
Immaculate arrives at the first meeting of her group after the formation event. Her group chose the name "Abisungay", that translates as "leaning on each other". It could also translate as "mutual support"
After their first self-help group meeting, Immaculate and a friend walk to the local market to buy vegetables for dinner. The market is located at the top of a hill in another village about 30 minutes walk from Kasebuturanyi.
Immaculate selects vegetables for dinner at the local market. The market is located at the top of a hill in another village about 30 minutes walk from Kasebuturanyi.
Immaculate prepares a dinner of cabbage in the evening. This is the family's only meal of the day.
Immaculate prepares a dinner of cabbage in the evening. This is the family's only meal of the day.
By the time Immaculate starts to cook, the sun has set and the fire is the only illumination.
Immaculate's daughter Denise looks after her youngest sister Clarisse.
Immaculate' measures out medicine for her youngest daughter Clarisse, 2 months old.
Immaculate's family outside their house. From left-to-right: Immaculate with baby Clarisse, Tuyizre 9, Sandrinn 5, Denise 11, and her husband Emmanuel.
Immaculate goes to cut grass from the hill sides. The grass will be thrown into the cow's pen to mix with manure, and then placed into a pit. The grass and manure mixture will compost and is used as a rich fertilser.
Immaculate cutting grass on a hillside near the village.
The grass will be thrown into the cow's pen to mix with manure, and then placed into a pit. The grass and manure mixture will compost and is used as a rich fertilser.
Immaculate returning from cutting grass on a hillside near the village.
The grass will be thrown into the cow's pen to mix with manure, and then placed into a pit. The grass and manure mixture will compost and is used as a rich fertilser.
Immaculate with her family a year after joining her self-help group, from L-R, Immaculate, Clarisse, Denise, Tuyrize, Sandrin, Delphine, and Emmanuel
A year after joining her self-help group, Immaculate tells a donor about the benefits.
A year after joining Immaculate is still with her group at right of front row
A year after joining her self-help group, Immaculate sits for a portrait.
A year after joining her self-help group, Immaculate sits for a portrait.
Two years after joining her self-help group, Immaculate now supplementrs her income through buying almonds from growers and selling them at market. here she is leaning on an almond tree.
Immaculate and her youngest daughter Clarisse three years on from joiing her self-help group
