A Rwf1.9-billion conservation project has helped create jobs for more than 4,815 people in Rulindo District.

The project, dubbed "Restoring Yanze River and watershed through scaling up agro-forestry technologies for resilience to climate change and improving the livelihood of the communities,” is financed by Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) in partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

The three-year project operates in Mbogo, Rusiga, Shyorongi and Ngoma sectors.

During a field tour, yesterday, the project manager, Manasseh Nshimiyimana, said FONERWA provided 80 per cent of the funds. The district paid the rest.

"The overall target of ‘green jobs’ was 1,800 but it surpassed up to 4,815 so far. The project benefits the community by increasing agriculture productivity because of terraces that curb soil erosion, job creation, savings, access to finance through credit cooperatives, etc,” he said.

The communities also benefit from water improvement in quality and quantity within watershed since Yanze River provides 80 per cent of water to Kigali city.

The river’s source is in Rulindo District and its restoring activities reduce sedimentation and siltation.

The project seeks to put radical terraces on 400 hectares, agro-forestry on 3,500 hectares, gully erosion control on 20 kilometres and rehabilitation of 10 ponds.

"We have already made radical terraces on 315 hectares out of the targeted 400, 1,805 progressive terraces out of 3,100 and 2,951 agro-forestry trees out of 3,500 targeted. Bamboo trees planted at buffer zone are on 24 hectares out of 30 hectares,” Nshimiyimana said.

Laure Beaufis, the head of DFID in Rwanda, attributed the progress to good leadership and desire to cope with climate change.

"The country’s landscape must be protected to check landslides. These radical terraces will increase agricultural productivity and make the sector climate-resilient,” she said.

Northern Province governor Jean Claude Musabyimana hailed the sponsors, noting that this was one of the main projects they support on environment, social protection as well as education in the province.

Saving opportunities

One of the project’s expected outputs is that any employed resident should at least save 30 per cent of their wages.

Each is paid Rwf1,200 per day to make terraces.

Odette Mugurirwa, a mother of seven from Bumbogo Sector, opened an account in an Umurenge-SACCO but had never been able to deposit any coin on it.

However, she managed to save until she bought a cow and paid health insurance cover for her family.

Therese Mukandekezi, another beneficiary, said after getting a job in terracing, she managed to build a house and she hopes that with the second phase of activities she will manage roofing materials.

"I have also learnt how to prepare tree nursery beds as well as cross-breeding avocados,” she said, adding that because of working with SACCO, she can now get a reasonable loan.

The beneficiaries are part of 1,500 workers from Mbogo Sector alone who got jobs under Yanze River protection project.

During the field visit by the project sponsors, 1,500 trees of agro-forestry were planted on six hectares in terraced fields.

According to FONERWA, about 90,000 green jobs have been created under the funded green projects across the country.

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