Day 9: Abaha, Ruganeheza, & Twiyubake Cooperatives

Wednesday, August 7th - Kayonza, Rwanda

Written by Amy Cluck, World Dancer

Today we gathered with three of our cooperatives from Never Again Fellowship.

After the Genocide in Rwanda, reconciliation had to be more than words of the song. It took working together with common vision and goals. Such is the message of Eugene, the president of the Abaharaniramahoro ("Those Who Strive for Peace") Cooperative,  one of the 9 cooperatives in Never Again Fellowship.

Never Again Fellowship is a group of nine cooperatives focused on reconciliation and forgiveness among the formerly warring Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups, and on integration of the Twa (Pygmy) people, a historically marginalized minority within Rwandan society. In 2008, 12 people made the courageous move to overcome the trauma they still bore and decided to stay alive by pooling their efforts to create a sustainable collective economy. There are now over 6,000 people in Never Again, divided into 9 cooperatives. Each is working hard to create a sustainable livelihood through agriculture, livestock, and a business venture to support the community. They have all vowed "never again" to Genocide.

Abaha, a community made up of Genocide survivors, perpetrators, and Twa, joined together in unity to assure their prosperity. You can see their history charted in their faces.  But something else shines through - expressions of a proud people with hope for their future.

After basic needs were met (goats, cows, students in school), co-op members decided on a collective business and chose to be event planners - to provide decor for weddings, social events, and official business events.  Their big step forward came when they acquired two large event tents, obtained with a grant from Procter & Gamble Alumni Foundation.  Now these tents position them above the competition. But imagine, they have to transport the poles and tents and decorations by walking and carrying them on their heads, sometimes up to an hour away.

In addition to the event business, the Abaha cooperative adopted the permaculture method of farming - preparing the bed with double digging, fortifying the soil and sowing seeds “one by one”.  Using this process, they are able to harvest crops twice a week in the rainy season rather than their previous yield of once a month.  Eugene has become a local expert in this type of gardening and has been invited by local schools to teach it.

How WD4H differs from other NGO’s (who tend to come in and tell recipients what they need and what the NGO will do for them), is that we permit the cooperative members to decide for themselves what kind of business interests them based on their own unique talents and expertise, and their local market demand. Then we support them with coaching, business advise and training, including financial accounting. The co-op decides how the profits will be distributed, some funds going to each member, some reinvested and some saved in the co-op's bank account. The members must figure out what they need to grow their business and may request funding for specific items such as land, buildings or equipment. Our intention is for all of these co-ops to have the ability carry on successfully without us. 

Recently in the Kayonza District, a ceremony was held where 25 international NGO’s and 25 local NGO’s gathered to show their work in the region. With site visits, discussions and demonstrations, these groups presented to experts in the field of community development. World Dance for Humanity took first place, above even some of the largest NGO’s in the world!!! These major groups were asking our advice on how we were so successful in building trust, unity and sustainability.  The success of our work is also due to the unique team we work with here in Rwanda - Justin Bisengimana, Program Director; Dany Rukundo, Program Assistant; Judy Rwibutso, Business Coordinator; and Chantal Kubwimana, Education Coordinator.  An outstanding team - all are patient coaches and empathetic leaders. And of course our own WD4H tireless leader, Janet Reineck, who makes it all possible.

One co-op member summed up what having their own business means to them. It has raised their value to themselves and as part of society and allowed them a position of prestige in their community. What better achievement can we hope for.

As we left the meeting room, the craftswomen from our Twiyubake ("Let Us Build Ourselves Up") Cooperative had their beautiful wares on display: baskets woven from banana leaves in the traditional Rwandan black and white weave and some in bright designs, hand sewn shoulder bags in colorful patterns, and jewelry. In no time at all, we (the travelers) made our selections for ourselves and gifts for family and friends. Funded by Kathy Bart, these women have a successful craft, sewing, and knitting business, selling their goods to hotel gift shops and tourists. They are wise business women who make a living from their art and craft.

From there we traveled to Ruganeheza ("Taking the Nation to a Better Future") Cooperative to see their ventilation brick-making business, also funded by the P&G Alumni Foundation. Most houses are made of red clay bricks similar to an adobe house. Most have bricks inserted that have openings to allow air into the upper part of the house. These ventilation bricks are fabricated by this co-op. The members hope to expand their business by adding a storage unit to hold inventory.

As a separate enterprise, they have also run water pipes from the county main line to a water distribution room on their property. Here, the community comes to purchase clean water, carried in jerrycans. Where before they had to walk 1 to 2 hours to get clean water, now this water station serves the local community.

We trekked across a field in the midst of a soccer game to visit a family who cares for one of the co-op’s cow, "Kiwi", donated by WD4H supporters Frank and Maria Nelson. Members of the co-op share in the milk and manure cows produces. Recently, a calf was born and so we got to name it "Jahala", a name coined by Frank and Maria in honor of their three grandchildren.

On the way back we stopped at Women for Women, a roadside store selling goods and souvenirs. There, we had an opportunity to see a wide range of beautiful crafts, art, ornaments and clothes. 

After dinner,  back at our hotel, we danced! First running through our Summer Solstice routine of the Queen songs medley, then a variety of songs in free dance, joined by the restaurant wait staff and ending with the aptly named circle dance, Chaos. Great fun and good to stretch our tired bodies.

One last note.  We learned a Rwandan song, "Tuzarwubaka", which speaks of rebuilding Rwanda, making it a paradise for all. On a long bus trip, we sang as a group Judy, WD4H Business Coordinator, filmed it and posted the video on Facebook.  Evidently, it has gone viral throughout Rwanda and we hear it playing on local phones! Even the Mayor has it forwarded to him. Just a crazy little thing called love!