Nyamasheke : FVA shared CORE project achievements with stakeholders

Faith Victory Association (FVA) in partnership with World Vision Rwanda (WVR) has on January 30th, 2018 organized a learning event aimed at sharing achievements of CORE project with the stakeholders.

The event was attended by local leaders, CSO partners, representatives from the private sector federation and project beneficiaries.

Welcoming the guests to the event, Raphaёl Mushumba, FVA programs Manager briefed the participants about the project and highlighted its key achievements towards promoting off farm employment. The programs Manager noted that the achievements of the project were due to stakeholder’s engagement and underscored the need for closer collaboration to facilitate sustainability of the project.

Achievements exhibited include linkage of cooperative beneficiaries to financial institutions and products from youth and women’s off-farm cooperatives among other achievements.

During the first year of implementation, CORE project supported 15 cooperatives that are engaged in different off-farm jobs of tailoring, welding, haircutting saloons, bakery, juice factory, decoration, carpentry, transporters and IT.

The project beneficiaries showcased some of the products that their cooperatives had made to promote learning and exchange among the cooperatives and also to celebrate the success achieved. NIZEYIMANA Maria, a project beneficiary from Rugarama village, Gatare cell, Macuba Sector noted :

“The CORE project changed our lives due to the skills that we were equipped with. I was able to join the VSLA through which I embarked on vigorous savings that I used to start a small income generating business (small shop). This business has grown and is able to cater for the needs of my family. I am really grateful to FVA and World Vision for their interventions.”

The World Vision representative at the event thanked FVA for the achievements that were registered and called for continued partnership between both organizations and the local leaders so as to facilitate sustainability of the achievements realized.
Participants requested FVA and World Vision to extend the project to other Sectors that have not benefited from the project. They noted that extension of the project will transform the lives of many members of the community.

The learning event increased knowledge among stakeholders about the project achievements, challenges and lessons learnt and future opportunities for partnership, offered detailed information on the linkage of cooperatives to financial institutions and increased networking and alliance building among project stakeholders and local leaders.

The Executive Secretary of Nyamasheke District appreciated the support that FVA in partnership with World Vision had offered to the beneficiaries. He also thanked FVA for working in close collaboration with the district. He reiterated the need for continued partnership in transforming the lives of the community. He called on the beneficiaries to use the knowledge obtained to productive use and to transfer the knowledge to other community members who did not have an opportunity to benefit from the project.

The Nyamasheke District Gender Officer who closed the event encouraged continued partnership among the stakeholders and pledged that the district was ready to work with partners to transform the lives of the beneficiaries. He noted that the Government is keen to boost made in Rwanda products and that the cooperatives that FVA had formed were supporting those government efforts. He urged FVA to extend the project to other sectors of the district in the next phase of the project.

Creating Off-Farm Rwandan Enterprises (CORE) project is implemented in Nyamasheke district by FVA in partnership with World Vision. Currently, four sectors of the district namely Rangiro, Macuba, Bushekeri and Bushenge benefited the 2016-2017 phase of the project.

The project sought to significantly increase the incomes of women and youth by supporting women and youth run cooperatives and entrepreneurial ventures in Nyamasheke.