Womenand youth have been urged to join co-operatives and savings groups to be able to accumulate money to set up income-generating projects and improve their welfare.

Marie Claire Gasanganwa, Rulindo District vice-mayor in charge of social affairs, said working in groups also makes it easy for women and youth to access funding from government or non-profit organisations.

Gasanganwa was speaking at the hand of over Rwf1.8 million to three women and youth groups at Murambi Sector head offices on Tuesday. The money was donated by a group of Kigali-based gospel artistes under the Alarm Ministries.

The beneficiary savings groups are from Masoro, Murambi and Cyinzuzi sectors.

"We recognise the contribution of Alarm Ministries in improving welfare of people in our district. We were happy to partner with the group to promote development initiatives in the district. We encourage the beneficiaries to work hard and expand their operations to serve more people in bigger cooperatives,” Gasanganwa said.

She lauded Alarm Ministries for equipping the co-operative and savings group members with business management skills, as well as encouraging them to fight domestic violence, and how to save and create jobs.

Justin Niyo Rushikama, the vice-representative of Alarm Ministries, said the donation seeks to contribute to efforts by other stakeholders and government in supporting women and youth groups to engage in income-generating projects to enhance their wellbeing.

"We want to motivate you to motivate to change your living standards and those of your families. This way, the country will be able to reduce poverty and realise its development goals,” Rushikamana told the beneficiaries.

He added that, besides preaching the gospel as their main mission, the group also wants to empower Rwandans financially.

He said, "It is not easy nor does it make sense to preach to a hungry person. That’s why we want to empower people both spiritually and financially. With this money, these groups will be able to implement their business ideas and boost their financial status,” Rushikama said.

Alarm Ministries has since this year created a network between youth and women in Rulindo, according to Freddy Bisetsa, the executive secretary of Alarm Ministries. Bisetsa observed that women’s dependency on their husbands for everything is sometimes responsible for domestic violence and family conflicts, adding that empowering women financially could help reduce gender-based violence.

Beneficiaries

Francine Nyirabagenzi, one of the group members, believes that if women are financially-empowered, domestic violence will be decreased.

"Most cases of domestic violence (against women) are caused by poverty. Therefore, the funds we have received help us earn money and become self-reliant, in terms of income,” Nyirabagenzi said.

Jean de Dieu Dusabe said he acquired new entrepreneurship skills.