A FEW MONTHS AGO, Mutabazi, a shop owner in the rural Mamba sector of Gisagara district, lost all his property – including his shop and merchandises – to a fire. He had lost hope since his destroyed assets, which he valuated at about Rwf2.5 million, were not insured.But, thanks to the support he received from a local cooperative that he had joined years earlier, he has managed to restart his business."If I had not been a member of the cooperative, I do not know what should have happened,” Mutabazi said."I would have closed shop. Today, thanks to the support I got from other members of my cooperative, I have managed to rebuild the shop and restock. Now, the value of my property is over Rwf 3 million, which is even far more than  what I had before the fire razed my shop”, he added thanking his cooperative for the support and urging other residents to join cooperatives.In his May Day message, Gisagara district mayor, Leandre Karekezi, called on residents to join cooperatives and lend a helping hand to the most vulnerable within their communities as a way of championing for better living conditions.Improve productivity Addressing dozens of residents who had gathered in Mamba sector on Wednesday, Karekezi urged them to always support each other if they want to speed up their socio-economic development.Mayor Karekezi told residents that joining cooperatives is one of the best ways to increase their productivity, thus improving their living conditions. "When people come together, the results of their efforts become more tangible,” Karekezi told the residents. "What many people can do when they join their efforts is far bigger than what a single individual can achieve on their own.”"Even the most vulnerable get to improve their living conditions as they learn and get support from others,” he added.As part the celebrations, Gisagara district employees helped 109 vulnerable residents open up accounts with a local savings and credit cooperatives.The Labour Day also saw the inauguration of a maize processing factory and a food store constructed by a local farmers’ cooperative in Mamba sector.