Eight households in Kagarama Cell, Kabeza Village, Mutete Sector in Gicumbi District were initially provided with cows, each given the responsibility to pass on a calf to another household once their cow gave birth.

The ‘chain of giving’ (one cow at a time) that started in 2021 has raised the number of cows in the village to 15, demonstrating that empowering people with the tools and trust for self-development can lead to lasting change.

These cows not only provide milk, which generates income but their manure is used to fertilise gardens, leading to higher crop yields, especially for green bananas, a staple food and economic resource for the community in Mutete Sector.

Through the partnership with Spark Microgrants and the Rwandan Government, residents have found a sustainable way to improve their livelihoods by rearing cows, selling milk, and producing fertiliser to enhance crop yields.

This initiative is part of the Advancing Citizen Engagement (ACE) Project, which promotes a community-driven development approach through the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP). By providing essential resources and training, the FCAP enables communities to take ownership of their development and implement sustainable solutions that address their specific needs.

Spark Microgrants provided six months of training to the participating families focusing on essential skills for project planning, implementation, and management. Upon successful completion of the training, communities receive a microgrant to fund their chosen project. FCAP empowers communities to identify their own needs, develop solutions, and implement projects that address those needs.

This approach fosters a sense of ownership and sustainability, as communities take the lead in driving their own development and make the most of the resources they would generate. With every household now equipped with the necessary skills, the village is steadily achieving its long-term ambition; that every family will own a cow, promoting equality and economic resilience.

The FCAP model offers a solution by empowering communities to identify their priorities and take action. Spark Microgrants and the ACE project are creating a sustainable, bottom-up development framework.

In Mutete Sector, residents decided to prioritise livestock as a way to generate income and improve agricultural productivity. However, the role of Social Economic Development Officers (SEDOs) in the process is critical, as they provide guidance aligned with government targets while allowing the community to lead the change.

Laurence Mukantezimana, a mother of two and resident, shared how her life has transformed with the support of Spark Microgrants. Before receiving a cow, she used to exchange grass with local cow keepers to obtain fertiliser. However, since receiving her cow through the ACE project, she now owns a cow and a calf, which produces eight litres of milk per day.

The income from milk has made a huge difference in her life. "The Rwf80,000 I earn monthly from selling milk helps me cover school fees for my children. I even adopted a child who had dropped out of school, enrolled him back, and now he’s in Primary Four. None of this would have been possible without this cow,” she explained.

In addition to milk, the fertiliser from her cow has improved her farming. "The fertiliser has boosted the yield of my crops, especially green bananas. Now I grow healthy bananas, and my earnings have increased significantly compared to before. This cow has become my home industry,” she added.

Odetha Ugirasekuru is a Community-Based Facilitator (CBF), also known as Inyenyeri. She owns three cows, primarily for fertiliser, allowing her to cultivate kilos more of green bananas each month. This is because she applies organic manure.

"I get eight litres of milk per day. In less than three months, this cow has provided me with nearly Rwf270,000. We also give some milk to malnourished children. This is incredible, and we truly appreciate Spark Microgrants’ inclusive approach for everyone,” she added.

Donald Ndahiro, the Country Director of Spark Microgrants for Rwanda, said that the project aims to support 76,000 individuals in improving their livelihoods. The initiative also focuses on enhancing the capacity of central, local, and village authorities to engage citizens through facilitation skills.

He noted: "Spark Microgrants believes that citizens have the capacity to thrive if they are empowered and supported by the government. However, we place great emphasis on collective effort.”

Ndahiro highlighted that the primary mission of Spark Microgrants is to enhance capacity-building among local authorities in target areas, enabling citizens to work towards achieving their goals. The second focus is to train local residents in various fields, and the third is to draw lessons from the project, which began in 2021.

"In measuring progress, we compare households’ conditions before 2021 with the present. Most households have seen their possessions increase by 121 per cent, indicating a huge improvement. Additionally, the percentage of families accessing food only once a day has dropped from 54 to 33 per cent showing that they can now afford enough food,” Ndahiro explained.

He added: "Food security has risen from 65 to 85 per cent, which is a remarkable improvement. Savings have also grown, with more people saving. Initially, individuals would save just Rwf2,000 per year, but this has increased to Rwf15,000.”

Ndahiro also noted that community participation in government activities has improved, rising from 61 to 84 per cent. "This reflects how productive and impactful Spark Microgrants has been. We urge village members to believe in themselves,” he said.

Spark Microgrants, an international organisation dedicated to empowering communities in poverty, is working closely with the Government of Rwanda to implement the ACE project with the support of the World Bank. The initiative aligns with Rwanda’s efforts to decentralise governance, promote citizen engagement, and reduce rural poverty.

Since its inception in 2021, the project has been active in 249 villages across four districts; Huye, Gicumbi, Gakenke, and Burera.