A woman listen as the self-help group approach is explained.
Kasebuturanyi women listen as AEE explain the self help group concept. Some of these women have friends who have already joined self help groups. For others, this is the first time they are hearing of the groups.
Today the women of Kasebuturanyi have assembled to hear AEE, a Rwandan NGO, exmplain the self-help group approach to poverty alleviation.
Some of these women have friends who have already joined self help groups in other villages, but for others, this is the first time they are hearing of the groups.
A man listening to the explanation of the self-help group approach has heard that it is only for women.
This can often cause some friction. While there are some mixed-gender groups,
the local NGO's experience is that the groups work best with women.
Emmanuel, a field coordinator from AEE, explains self-help groups to the women of Kasebuturanyi.
Women raise their hands to join self-help groups.
Their first task is to group themsleves by economic category (these women will belong to one of the lowest two categories). They then form into groups based on category and the proximity of the their homes.
A woman sits while groups are being organised. Groups are formed to keep women together of similar economic category and the proximity of their homes.
A woman sits while groups are being organised. Groups are formed to keep women together of similar economic category and the proximity of their homes.
A child yawns while his mother writes names of a new group's members.
Women of a newly formed group huddle tightly while their names are being recorded. They also have to choose a name for the group. The choices are usually something inspiring for the women.
The first formal meeting of the new self help groups takes place the day after the formation event.
The women will choose their committee and name their group at this meeting
A woman looks at her new self help group savings and loans book
A child holds his mother's new self help group savings and loan book
A new self help group meets to put money into group savings for the first time.
The women put money into the centre as their name is called from the roll.
A new self help group meets to put money into group savings for the first time.
The women put money into the centre as their name is called from the roll.
Kaesubuturanyi is in the hills of Rwanda's Southern Province. Early in the morning of the wet season, mists sit softly in the valley.
Kasebuturanyi is one of the poorer villages in the region. The soil is not as fertile as other areas, and being harder requires more manual labour to work.
Here, Laurencia, 53, Ancille, 31, and Chantal, 29, warm themselves in the morning sun with Simba.
Sunrise over Kasebuturanyo, an year on from the formation of the self-help groups
Women arrive for a weekly meeting of self-help groups. Many of the women are noticeably better dressed this year.
Women arrive for a weekly meeting of self-help groups. Many of the women are noticeably better dressed this year.
A self help group sits in the shade of trees, a year after formation.
Sunrise from Kasebuturanyi, two years after the self-help groups were formed.
With the sky promising rain, the women head to a nearby house for their weekly meeting.
With rain outside, the women hold a combined self-help group meeting in a house.
Sunset over the hills near Kasebuturanyi, three years after the self-help group formation.
Alivera dances with the women to welcome the District Executive Secreatary and the Cell leader to a special combined self-help group meeting.
Three years after forming their self-help groups, the women of Kesbuturany assemble togther in a combined meeting to tell the District Executive Secretary and Cell leader of their successes.
Wilson, the local NGO field coordinator, talks to the assembled self-help groups.
Rose talks about her work as community facilitator with the Kasebuturanyi self-help groups as Wilson, the local NGO field coordinator, listens.
Marie-Jeanne describes her achievements. Marie-Jeanne is an unofficial leader of the SHG here, so much so that the group won't let her be a member of the CLA.
The District Exceutive Secretary , also attending this meeting, had recently purchased a pig from her for Rwf60,000.
Claudine (standing) from the "Lets Come Together" SHG moved to the village from her home, 90 minutes drive away, to be with her husband.
Her family was living in the forest, but in Kasebuturanyi she had no fiends or connections.
She sells beans and keeps chickens. She has taken a loan to open a store to sell their produce and small goods.
Philomene tells that when she joined the self-help group she was worried that she would not be trusted or accepted. Now she is the accountant for her group and is responsible for taking the group's savings to the bank in Nyamagabe. Before joining her self-help group this would have been unimaginable.
Philomene still makes the traditional pots, but now also sells avocados at markets, has a pig and raises rabbits.
