Day 5: Cokawi & Copakika Cooperatives

Saturday, August 3rd - Kigali, Rwanda

Written by Genevieve Feiner, WD4H Team

Happy Saturday!

Today we visited two local communities in the outskirts of Kigali: Cokawi ("Wake Up and Improve Yourself") and Copakika ("Our Unity").

The first stop of the day was to Cokawi - one of our most veteran co-ops. Founded in 2008 by former sex workers (most of whom have aids), these farmers have taken great strides in their development.

When the co-op was established, the Rwandan government gave Cokawi a 1-hectare (2.5 acre) parcel of marshland to farm, but traditional methods of irrigation and draining was poor and the crop yield was low - about 10% of what it would be if the land were well-drained and fertilized. The co-op members started looking into how they could improve the land to increase the harvest and create a viable goat and farm business. They arrived at a method of digging furrows and draining the land and so it can be readied for crops. They received a grant from WD4H supporter Leslie Johnson to convert the marshland to farmland and protect it from erosion. In 2017, the same donor provided funds to purchase an irrigation pump to support the crops during the dry season.

We were greeted at the bus with a vibrant celebration of dance and song! The co-op members took us by the arms and guided us down to the farm. Co-op president Elise gave a brief introduction on our activity for the day: planting carrots! We divided up into 5 groups, each one led my a co-op member. We carefully made our way through the mud and over to the freshly-prepped plant beds.

The Cokawi farmers are some of the hardest working people we have met here. They farm all year long, thanks to their permagarden training from expert Tom Cole. Their harvests not only provide food for the community, but they are also able sell their crops to Kigali hotels - an important income-generating venture.

Together with the community, we planted hundreds of carrots! These nutritious vegetables should sprout in about a week. Grow fast, little seeds!

Before parting, we gathered together and talked about their journey...how far they've come and how far they hope to go from here. A few of our sponsored students were able to join us for the day, so we presented them with their letters and heard a bit about how their studies are going and what their plans for the future are. We are so proud of Cokawi, and cannot wait to see what they accomplish next!

We said our goodbyes, hopped back in the bus, and drove just around the bend to meet our next co-op: Copakika! Here, our goal was to help plan and construct a permagarden - the very first one for this community.

Nestled in a bamboo forest, we walked down a little hill and met the members of Copakika at the plot of land we would be working on. Without wasting much time, we got straight to work!

First, we cleared away all the brush using hoes and shovels. Next, Justin and the co-op leaders measured out the plot, marking the boundaries with sticks. Now it was time to start digging! We needed to loosen the soil and remove roots and rocks first. Most of us took turns working side by side with our Rwanda Team and the co-op members to prepare the land. It was hard work, to say the least!

Over the next couple of hours, we witnessed a beautiful permagarden unfold before us. We learned how to properly dig swales to compliment water flow; double-digging the soil and fertilizing it with manure, ash, and charcoal; planting rows of seeds the correct distance apart; collecting nearby grass and brush for the top layer of mulch; and so much more.

Much to our delight, it even rained for a few minutes! A sign of blessings and prosperity for this new garden and the people it will feed.

We celebrated the newly constructed garden with cheering and singing "Tuzarwubaka" - "We will rebuild Rwanda".

After washing up a bit, we walked a short distance deeper into the bamboo to have our meeting. We were treated to an amazing dance performance by the children of the co-op before taking our seats. Copakika's leader, Bernadette, talked about the successes of their farming, mostly thanks to fertilizer from their new cow, Jarod, who was donated by Jill Pezzino on our trip last year. Jarod recently had a baby girl named Lauren, so now the community has milk.

We were so lucky to once again be joined by some of our students, so we joyously gave them their letters and exchanged quick words of encouragement before heading back for the evening.

Another wonderful day in Rwanda...Biracyaza! Onward!

Thoughts from the travelers:

Amy Cluck: Listening to high school and college students speak to us of what an education means to them is inspiring.  In a country where a free education is not an option, these young people honor the privilege to learn with the help of WD4H sponsorships by studying diligently. They commit to bring their new knowledge and skills developed in school and annual leadership training back to home to mentor younger children and foster greater development of the cooperative as a whole.  The students are articulate and thoughtful. They speak English with us to share their ideas and aspirations. They are poised to lead their cooperatives and the country to success.

Michelle Pasini: What an incredible experience, working alongside the men, women and children of Cokawi planting seeds  in their permagarden fields in a spectacular valley in Kigali. Laughing together as they helped us from getting stuck in the mud. Learning each other’s names as they showed us the proper planting technique “one, one, one” an older gentleman instructed to ensure I did not waste the precious seeds. The soil was rich with nutrients as evidenced by the myriad of interesting bugs that have made these planting beds their home. I ask, through hand gestures and with the aid of a young student, how long will it take for the carrots to grow? They answer “seven days” in English to see shoots of carrot tops emerge and “two months” to grow the carrots. We gently cover the seeds and high five each other after they give their stamp of approval announcing “terminae” (finished)! Time to share words of appreciation for one another and break bread together. #IloveRwanda