When she came to Rwanda in September last year to carry out advocacy programmes for her breast cancer initiative (BCIEA), Phillipa Kibugu-Decuir, a breast cancer survivor herself, did not know that she would stay longer than April, her anticipated time to go back to the U.S and join her family, when COVID-19 found its way into the country.

Even with the flights cancelled, she couldn’t carry on her mission of engaging communities and counselling services for breast cancer patients due to the six weeks lockdown that was imposed on the entire country.

"Stuck at the wellness centre with the gardener and housekeeper, I felt homesick and a bit depressed without my family,” she says. 

Phillipa Kibugu-Decuir shows a range of products from the loofah for household use, at the wellness centre. 

This was until she went to pick a sponge gourd, also called a loofah, in the backyard, for her personal use, that she realised she could include it in one of her income generating projects.

"I have been using loofahs as a body scrub since I was young and had grown many of them in our backyard. It soon ‘clicked’ that I could make money out of it with the help of my house managers.

"More information on the internet about the plant was eye opening, which is why I launched our COVID-19 loofah project, since then my mind has been blowing with ideas,” Decuir shares.

The natural sponge made from a loofah plant, sometimes made into a cloth or mitt contains fibrous texture, and is used as a body sponge and to exfoliate the skin and stimulate blood circulation while you bathe. Part of the cucumber family, the plant can also be eaten raw as it contains various antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, a delicacy in Asian communities.

Collectively, the household harvested as many as they could and began the process of peeling, soaking in water, washing, removing seeds, drying and finally, cutting into various shapes and sizes. 

Staying home soon provoked many creative and innovative ideas that they began designing face exfoliators, body scrubbers, dish scrubbers, floor scrubbers, as well as decorative flowers and reeds.

A range of products from the loofah for household use, at the wellness center

"The loofahs have been gold, in the period of confinement they have provided a productive and income generating activity. This is a simple demonstration of how rich our country can be. When advocacy came to a standstill, I wasn’t certain of the donations still coming in, but with this innovation, we can continue supporting the initiative and breast cancer survivors. 

"The attitude we carry in these times matter because we were accorded time which we productively use. This project has been uplifting, other than being sad that I am far away from my family, I have something to wake up to everyday, plus I am getting to know my employees better,” she adds.

In addition to encouraging productivity, loofahs are environmental friendly, while the left overs can be used to make decorative reeds for sale.

some of the products made from loofahs 

Phillipa showing the loofah plant before it is turned scrub

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