On Sunday, October 15, numerous women gathered in Rubaya sector in Gicumbi District, Northern Province, to commemorate the International Day of Rural Women, focusing on the local theme ‘Financing Rural Women’s Empowerment’.
The importance of this yearly occasion lies in honouring the numerous women living in distant rural areas, acknowledging their accomplishments, and recognising their priceless contributions to development, particularly in rural communities.
The event was attended by several government officials, such as Valentine Uwamariya, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion; Maurice Mugabowagahunde, the Governor of Northern Province; Parfaite Uwera, the acting Mayor of Gicumbi district; Jannet Kem, the United Nations Women Country Representative in Rwanda, and many others.
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Promoted by the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), the celebration of this day in Rwanda aims to highlight the crucial role of these women in the country’s sustainable development, starting from their own homes. It also aims to strategise ways to overcome ongoing challenges, such as limited access to resources, the heavy burden of unpaid care and domestic work, and more.
The event featured exhibitions that showcased women&039;s development activities, including entrepreneurship, crafts, and various cooperative achievements, to name just a few.
Many of the women are those who have taken the initiative to pursue their goals, gained confidence and strength, collaborated with others in cooperatives, maintained healthy relationships with their partners, and, of course, self-belief.
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The celebration became even more inspiring when a moment filled with the essence of mutual support and vitality emerged, as women actively participated in ‘Ukuremerana’, a tradition of offering assistance and sharing.
The day also included the provision of 200 water tanks and the presentation of a cheque worth Rwf50 million as a start-up capital to ‘Rebakure’, which means "have a vision” in the local language. ‘Rebakure’ is a cooperative of 20 women who work together as farmers, specialising in tomato cultivation.
Two families received cows as part of the ‘Girinka’ programme. Additionally, 100 chickens and 35 modern cooking stoves were provided to vulnerable families.
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Minister Uwamariya said the event also aimed to shed light on the challenges women encounter in their daily lives, especially in their domestic roles.
"The latest National Institute of Statistics Rwanda (NISR), survey from 2022 revealed that a big number of women are engaged in farming which means a substantial workload for them,” she said.
"Therefore, it is imperative for the government and other various sectors support and empower these women, enabling them to engage in more productive endeavours.”
She added: "Women in rural areas have the potential to achieve great things; however, they need to believe in themselves and their abilities.
She mentioned that if family affairs are not favourable, it is unrealistic to expect progress in society, with family serving as the fundamental cornerstone of communities, and "empowering women means supporting stronger families.”
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Alphonsina Mukankera, a mother-of-five and leader of the ‘Rebakure’ cooperative, shared that she and the team can handle some basics, including paying community health insurance (Mutuelle de santé), school fees for the children, and more, without depending on their partners.
Mukankera emphasised that empowering women means a lot, arguing that the team itself has been able to achieve its different goals — some have even gone beyond to help other people.
Marthe Mukeshimana, a mother-of-one who works at Mulindi Tea Factory in the Kaniga sector, Gicumbi District, shared that many women in rural areas have not yet embraced self-belief and fear to engage in activities typically associated with men. Equally, some men restrict their wives, particularly when it comes to night shifts.
"However, despite those challenges, I was able to conquer that fear and venture into work, and I have achieved huge success including building my own house on the plot I bought with my salary,” she said.