A beacon of Light for Agnes: Investing in Rural Women for income generation

As the sun curved in over the hilly landscape marred by frequent landslides – a clear sign of the impact of climate change – in southern Rwanda, a team of the UN Joint Programme for Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) met Agnes Nibakure, a 43-year-old woman participating in the programme supported by Norway, Sweden and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“The family journey had been marked by some conflicts, rooted in a lack of self-confidence to manage the little resources we have including the livestock and food at home,” she said.

Hailing from Rango village, in Nyaruguru district, Agnes married and started a family at a tender age of 16, with limited knowledge of women’s empowerment. She is now a member of Amahoro (peace in the local language) cooperative, comprising 20 resilient women and 10 supportive men who are experiencing life-changing transformations thanks to the JP RWEE.

After receiving JP RWEE training on equality and women’s empowerment Agnes expressed, 

“My life was transformed as I and my colleagues were enlightened, we are no longer victims of domestic violence”, she reported. 

Agnes found new strength within herself, after she and her husband, Emmanuel Bacumi, had lost their entire house and livelihood in one fell swoop of a landslide in 2022 igniting even more severe conflicts between them.

The turning point came when Agnes joined the savings group formed as part of the JP RWEE initiative. With a small loan of Rwf 10,000, about (USD 8) from the savings group. Agnes kick started a small-scale business involving potatoes, selling baskets, and plastic containers in the village market. In just three months, Agnes not only repaid the loan but also doubled a profit of Rwf 10,000

With her entrepreneurial spirit ignited by JP RWEE, Agnes had bigger dreams. After losing land and a house in the valley, Agnes rented a small piece of land and cultivated beans, yielding 30 kilograms for home consumption. Earning a steady income from her various ventures. She proceeded to register her business, create a brand, and ultimately became a recognized entrepreneur in Rwanda.

She hopes to purchase land for agriculture and renovate their family home. Her vision extended to buying a bicycle to reduce transportation costs and streamline the business operations.

Meanwhile, her husband Emmanuel works in a tea plantation, earning a monthly income of Rwf 35,000 (about USD 26.8 ). 

They now live together peacefully, and he became a supportive partner due to the JP RWEE’s training on Gender Action Learning System (GALS) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) He supports Agnes with domestic chores and takes charge of household duties when Agnes is away on business trips.

As JP RWEE implemented by Food and Agriculture (FAO), IFAD, UN Women and World Food Programme (WFP) entered its second phase, strengthening rural women's access to finance and ensuring the enduring impact of their newfound knowledge and skills is a key driver of investing in rural women for enhanced income generation. The goal remains to secure rural women's livelihoods, rights, and resilience, in alignment with Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.