2. Key Figures
• 45,000 : number of CHWs
• 475: number of CHWs cooperatives
• 480: number of Health Centres
• 12.5 billion RWF: net worth of CHWs
cooperatives
• 30,000: number of female CHWs
• 15,000: number of male CHWs
• Implement capacity building
activities initiatives in order
to add value to members. The
cooperative created a sub-
committee in charge of training
that helps in capacity building
initiatives.
• Some of the capacity building
initiatives the committee has
coordinated are study tours
and training seminars for the
members as well as mentorship
for the board of directors
• Inyenyeri y’Ubuzima
Cooperative engaged PSDAG
to support them to acquire
equipment worth 8,000,000
francs to set a potato
collection center
• Taking advantage of support
from partners in form of
trainings and advises
• Tracking of financial inflows
and outflows through mobile
technology applications
and stringent supervisory
mechanism
• The accountant is requested
to check on a daily basis the
operations on the cooperative
accounts, document the bank
account reconciliation report
which is produced monthly to
indicate all banks operations;
the report is submitted to the
GA
Governance and Leadership
Human Resources Management Business Implementation Technical Support
Financial Management
• Smartness of decision
making process informed
by astute market analysis
that lead to business
reorientation
• Study tours to learn
from others in the same
business field
2
• A woman leader with a vision of
high standing ......................................4
• Women leadership making
difference...............................................4
• Rewards of good leadership and
members unity.....................................6
• Mitigating fraud risks promoted
Cooperatives performance..............8
• Perseverance that saved a
cooperative ..........................................9
• Adding value through capacity
building ...............................................10
• A milk treatment facility worth
over 100 million built by CHWs
cooperative ........................................11
• Quick facts...........................................11
• A CHW cooperative in coffee
business................................................12
• Solar energy solution.......................13
• Cooperative market analysis
benefits.................................................14
• A CHWs cooperative to own an
irish potato collection center .......15
Contents
Best Practices
• Leveraging ICT to ensure
service delivery
• Accountability and
effective governance
structures
• Members’ empowerment
through capacity building
initiatives
• Embracing women
leadership and gender
• Adopting imihigo concept
to enhance performance
3. 3
Rwanda started the Community Health Program in 1995
aftertheGenocideAgainstTutsi.Theideabehindcreating
the program was to improve access to health care by
bringing services closer to the people while addressing
theshortageofaprofessionalhealthcareworkforce.Since
1996, Rwanda adopted a decentralization policy to take
health services closer to the people in order to improve
health from a participatory approach. The Community
Health Worker (CHW) is therefore one of the key players
in the country’s health sector and works under the direct
supervision of a Health Centre.
CHWs remain a critical part of Rwanda’s health system and
continue to make significant contributions in promoting
health services as well as targeted interventions in areas
such as Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM)
of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea for U-5 children as
well as other community interventions. CHWs played an
important role in helping Rwanda achieve the MDGs on
Maternal Health and Reduction of child mortality as well
as other interventions.
Rwanda experiences a huge gap in human resources
for health but the Ministry of Health (MoH) has been
expanding its community health program since 2007,
eventually placing 3 trained CHWs in every village in the
country by 2009 (MoH, 2013).
Rwandan CHWs have organized themselves into
cooperatives since 2009 and currently, there are 45,000
CHWs countrywide organized into 475 cooperatives.
Each CHW cooperative receives a payment through the
Performance-Based Financing (PBF) mechanism on a
quarterly basis where 70% of these funds are earmarked
for investment in income-generating activities (IGAs)
while 30% is shared among the CHWs.The IGAs are found
in virtually all sectors of the Rwandan economy (e.g.
agriculture such as livestock and crop farming, rental
of commercial houses, handicrafts, transportation and
other services).
The Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with the
Rwanda Health Strengthening Systems Activity (RHSSA)
carried out a comprehensive assessment of Community
Health Workers’ Cooperatives performance. The
assessment findings identified CHW’s cooperatives’ best
practices in different thematic areas namely: Leadership
and Governance; Human Resources Management;
Financial Management; Business Implementation; and
Technical Support Effectiveness.
CHWs have registered great success over the years in
terms of both clinical activities as well as consolidating
their economic activities. However, a lot more effort is
needed to address major challenges that affect their
cooperatives such as inadequate capacity in doing
business, inadequate financial management skills
and gaps in accessing good markets. This will ensure
sustainability of the program amidst decreasing external
funding.
Therefore, this newsletter intends to showcase the
activities of CHWs’ cooperatives as one of the ways to
motivate CHWs and also build a sustainable community
health program.
It is also envisaged that the documentation of the success
stories will form the basis of a process of networking
and shared learning between various leaders of CHWs’
cooperatives.
Foreword
Dr. Diane Gashumba
Minister of Health
4. 4
KOARUNGE (Koperative y'Aborozi ba Rurenge soon will
be KOAIRUNGE "Koperative y'abahinzi n'aborozi b'inkoko
ba Rurenge), has 111 members, and 74 are women and
their assets worth value is around 55 million Rwandan
francs.
The Uniqueness of this cooperative is the unity of its
members and hardworking but much more high level
competence and integrity of its women leadership.
As one of their economic activities, the cooperative owns
a poultry farm with over 1136 chicken. The vision is to
increase production to about 3000 chicken in the next 3
years and at least 3000 eggs daily.
Mrs. Bernadette Ugiriwabo, the president of KOARUNGE
says"....Theunityofcooperativeleadersandindependency
of committees is our motto..."
She further added that they a lot has been done to
ensure that mismanagement of the cooperative money
is checked.
Members of the cooperative testify that it has helped
many people in their area in so many ways.
Mrs. Belancilla Muhawenimana, the president of the
surveillance committee said that her role is to ensure that
their assets are protected. She expressed that as leader, she must
be a role model.
Ngarambe Augustin theVice President said that the board meets
monthly and every committee is independent.
Leadership and Governance
A woman leader with a vision of high standing
Women leadership making difference
Mrs. Mariam Mukagakwaya
(left), the President of
Imboni za Nyamirambo and
members.
Members of the CHWs
Cooperative Kirwa during
a consultative meeting .
Community Health Workers Cooperative “Imboni za
Nyamirambo” working with Rugarama Health Centre
in Nyamirambo Sector, Nyarugenge District, has 102
members with a majority number of women-64 in total.
The cooperative’s vision is to build a high rise building in
the city of Kigali. It owns various assets that generate over
350,000Frw.
“Within 3 years our cooperative will double its assets net
worth and that will help us to
build our own high rise building
with the support of the banks…”
Mrs. Mukagakwaya Mariam,
the President of Imboni za
Nyamirambo cooperative.
Mr. Corneille Kamugunga,
the vice president of Imboni
za Nyamirambo cooperative
says that before investing in
real estate a market study was
conducted and presented to all
members who adopted it as their
choice business.
The cooperative has bought
several residential houses and
one commercial building that
generate monthly incomes to the
cooperative. “Our plan is to support the vision of City of
Kigali and that’s why we plan to build a high raise complex
in the next 3 years…” Mr. Kamugunga added.
“As a woman leader of the cooperative, I am confident
that I have capacity to lead our cooperative to achieve its
dreams…” says, Mrs. Mukagakwaya Mariam, the President
of the cooperative.
5. 5
Testimonies
Elisabeth Manizabayo, a member of Inama y’Ubuzima Cooperative in
Busasaman, Rubavu District.
“….my husband couldn’t further his studies because of funding constraint but
the livestock gained from the cooperative enabled him to upgrade his education
from A2 to A0 level. Even myself I have gone back to school now I have A2 level
certificate. My children are at the university."
Phocas Bizimana, a member of Inyenyeri y'ubuzima Cooperative in Kinoni.
“…, I have secured a loan from the bank with support from our cooperative and
built a house… that achievement has transformed my wellbeing. I also have no
problem paying medical insurance subscriptions."
Bankundiye Daphrose, a member of Shyigikira Ubuzima/ Nyundo
“The income I generated from cooperative, I invested it in my business; I acquired
livestock. My lifestyle has improved. I urge others in the community to join
cooperatives because we gain a lot from joining others: new ideas, whether in
community health services, or financial gains.”
Fulgence Byukusenge, a member of Shyigikira Ubuzima cooperative in
Nyundo-Rubavu District.
“I am delighted my cooperative is among the cooperative that performed better
among the 475 cooperatives that were evaluated. I want to seize this opportunity
to tell other cooperatives that might be experiencing some management issues,
that they should sit together and find solutions to those problems. No challenge
should be a reason for a cooperative to collapse...”
Mudaheranwa Didace, the President of COSOBARU-Imboni Rugarama.
“We have three legal committees all of them work together to fulfill our mandate,
to follow the same vision and helps us to be accountable. In order to solve the
problem of understanding, we have initiated a sub-committee in charge of
training to rise up the level of understanding of our members in leadership and
management because after our terms, we have to elect another committee. It is
better to have a strong one which has enough knowledge in management and
leadership of cooperative, and it help us to avoid to have leaders whom reflects
the development of cooperative.”
6. 6
Groups of individuals having common
interests usually work together
to achieve them and this is a best
practice that makes every cooperative
successful.
The leadership of“Indatwa za Gikondo”,
a Community Health Workers
Cooperative based in Gikondo District,
is highly recommended for leading the
members of that cooperative to work
together so that their common interest
is attained. The cooperative has set
taboos as values for their cooperative
and introduced the performance
contract concept to promote the
growth of their cooperative. Member’s
participation in decision making is a
culture they have nurtured to ensure
that every member is contributing
constructively to the success of their
initiative.
Through the support gained from
Ministry of Health (PBF project) the
cooperative has invested in a banana
plantation. It has hired an entrepreneur
that is highly skilled in the business of
banana plantation to assist in growing
their joint business and he also transfers
skills to the members through coaching
them including other local persons
involved in that business. This sign of
good leadership and openness but
much more a strategy to attract more
members to join the cooperative by
showingthemthespiritofinclusiveness
and support towards the common
good.
The banana plantation business
rewards each member with an income
of 60,000Frw per month, and every
member of the cooperative obtains
at least 25,000Frw at the end of
year as bonus. The incentive of this
income plays a big role in maintaining
their social works of educating and
sensitizing people about health issues.
Member’s ownership of the
cooperative’s activities is the motto of
every member! Because of this, they all
make sure that there is a close follow
up on the business of the cooperative.
The president of the cooperative or
the delegated members in case of
his absence is obliged to visit the
plantation every week-end as a matter
of close follow up.
To ensure the discipline and welfare
of the members, the leadership of
the cooperative has put in place the
disciplinary committee and the welfare
committee as subcommittee.
several training have been conducted
for the members of the cooperative and
this is due to the good collaborations
with stakeholders and partners such
as Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA)
and Health Center of Rugarama in
Nyarugenge District. As a result of the
trainings acquired the cooperative has
developed a 3 years’ strategic plan and
vision for the growth and sustainability
of the cooperative.
The testimonies of the members of the
cooperative are so much encouraging.
In her own words Mrs Uwanyirigira
Beatrice, the president of the
cooperative says that “MINISANTE
support helped us deeply to make
our project stronger. On a monthly
basis we deposit 60,000Frw onto our
members’ bank accounts earned from
the business of the cooperative. In the
near future, we envisage to give a cow
to every member of the cooperative
…. We are thanking MINISANTE for its
immeasurable support and we promise
that in a few years’time we shall have a
fully sustained business”
As a matter of advice to other CHWs
she recommends that; accountability,
integrity and transparency are key
pillars in the growth and development
of any cooperative and she is proud that
as leader she has practiced those values
and she is witness of the rewards it has
brought to their business cooperative.
As expressed by Kanyamugenge
Pheneas,thechairpersonofsurveillance
committee of Indatwa za Gikondo
CHWs’ cooperative, the project started
in September 2013 in collaboration
with Gikondo Health Centre as their
direct advisor. They bought land first
at six million francs (6,000,000Frw) and
they planted banana trees and after
that they bought another one. Today
their assest is estimated to be above
50 million Rwandan francs. “Good
management and leadership made our
cooperative develop! We sit together
and discuss on the project we need to
launch and once the decision is taken,
action is expected from all members.
The cooperative has assisted me to
developmyselfandmyentirefamilyand
it gives me the opportunity to assist my
neighbors to develope themselves…”
Kanyamugenge added.
The cooperative has a membership of
about 104 members who contributed
an individual share capital of 10,000frw.
Last January, they gave out bonus to
the members that amounted to around
1,500,000Frw from the profits of their
business venture.
A testimony by Mukamurigo Diane, a
member of Indatwa za Gikondo CHWs
cooperative reveals a great personal
achievement. “I participated efficiently
todevelopourcooperativeandthrough
lessons learnt, I gained confidence to
start my own poultry farming project.
That gives me joy to be a role model to
other woman in my area…”
Rewards of good leadership
and members unity
CAPTION: sumquunt adi
aut aut n quiscia pro inimos
que di dus que n quiscia
pro inimos que di dus
Beatrice Uwanyirigira,
Indatwa za Gikondo’s
President in the coopera-
tive banana plantation in
Muyumbu sector, Rwama-
gana District.
Leadership and Governance
7. 7
Pictorial
Imboni z’Ubuzima cooper-
ative Kabirizi in Nyaruguru
district in poultry farming.
They have 400 chickens,
generating at least 300
eggs a day, sold Frw 70 an
egg.
CHWs cooperative in Karon-
gi“Abakunda Ubuzima “
invested 6.5 million franc
to become a member of
Union that build a commer-
cial building. (Pictured here,
it is its architectural plan.)
Some of the houses owned
by CHWs cooperatives .
8. 8
Financial Management
Shyigikira Ubuzima Cooperative in Nyundo sector, Rubavu district
of theWestern province started its business activities in the year of
2009.
Todateithasacquiredassets,mainlytwohousesinRubavuDistrict
(Gisenyi) town worth thirty-eight million francs (38 M frw) in spite
of the hardship it went through. The houses are worth 27 million
francs and rented and Frw 11 million generating over 200,000 Rwf
in rent every month.
Also, the cooperative owns a land worth 3.42 million francs.
With its fluorescent business, the cooperative leant the hard way
to set strategies to mitigate fraud that was a potential risk to its
survival.
HategekimanaDonatien,thepresidentofthecooperativesaysthat
“itwasnecessarytohavefirmchecksandbalancesystemstodaunt
potential fraud and mismanagement of cooperative funds…”
One of the strategies is the establishment of a supervisory
committee that routinely audits the cooperatives operations to
insure transparency and accountability.
The other strategy is to leverage mobile technology application to
track financial inflows and outflows of the cooperative.
Byukusenge Fulgence is a member of the cooperative recalls
how the cooperative experienced hard times in its
beginning, but he considers those challenges as
opportunities that have made it possible for their
cooperative to perform better.
Due to tracking of financial inflows and outflows
through mobile technology applications and
stringent supervisory mechanism, transparency and
accountability has been made possible.
The improved performance of the cooperative is
proven by a report that evaluated the 475 CHWs
cooperatives and Shyigikira Ubuzima was among
the best performing.
Mr. Hategekimana Donatien, believes that hardships
that cooperatives went through ought not be a
source of discouragement for cooperatives, rather
an opportunity to set strategies to enhance and
strengthen the cooperative’s performance.
The Supervisory Committee of Shyigikira Ubuzima cooperative
supervises the management of the cooperative at least once a
quarter or at any time it is considered necessary.
They make a report that is submitted to the members of the
governing body. Also the accountant of the cooperative is
requested to check on a daily basis the operations on the
cooperative accounts and is supposed to document the bank
account reconciliation report which is produced monthly to
indicate all banks operations.
The report has to match with all documents justifying the
expenditures and income to make sure that any risks of fraud are
mitigated. These are some of the measures that have helped in
counter-checking the effectiveness and respect of the guidelines
set up by the General Assembly. In that case it is easy and possible
to discover funds embezzlement before it becomes too late
according to the members.
“We meet once every three months, but when there is an
emergency to take care of, we can have a meeting in a month to
checkthestatusofthecooperativefinances.Wemeetandexamine
whether the books of account are filled properly…” says Agnes
Mukandutiye the secretary of the supervisory committee.
The supervisory committee also verifies whether the Board and
other organs of the cooperative such as the tender committee
implement all the decisions made in order to protect the general
interests of the members.
Theotherroleofthesupervisorycommitteeistocontroltheassets
of the cooperative and the supervision of the implementation of
the decision of the General Assembly.
Members of the cooperative have reaped benefits from their
cooperativeandtheyareproudofthatastestifiedbyNyirabizimana
Vicentie: “…the Performance Based Financing (PBF) helped me a
lot because it enabled me to pay the school fees of my children.
Also the cooperative gave me a goat. …. Even when my husband
sees this he gets the impression that my services as a community
health worker are worthwhile.”
Mitigating fraud risks promoted Cooperatives
performance
Nyirabizimana
Vicentie is proud of
Shyigikira Ubuzima.
These houses generate
at least 200,000 a moth
to Shyigikira Ubuzima.
9. 9
Cooperative members of "Ubuzima
Umusingi w’Amajyambere” in
Gihundwe sector of Rusizi district
in Western Province are into serious
business whereby they are earning over
1 million francs from their fixed interest
account ventures with KCB and rentals.
Ubuzima Umusingi w’Amajyambere
Cooperative is a Community Health
Workers Cooperative who initially
started doing business in maize farming
project but latter failed.
“Without the perseverance of its
members, the cooperative would have
gone bankrupt” says the president of
the Cooperative Mr. Nduwimana Jean
Paul.
The cooperative stands still to date
due to astute business decisions.
“We started our cooperative business
project by cultivating maize for
commercial purposes, and we realized
that we were making losses.The general
assembly decided to stop the business
since it had realized the project was not
generating profit... We are now looking
to fish farming.”
Following bad business seasons, the
general assembly decided to invest its
money in other possible productive
ventures and that is how it bought
a house at 27.1 million
francs which is earning
the cooperative 300,000
Frw per month from rents
while the rest of their
capital is earning interests
from a fixed account in KCB
and Bank Po...
“We have deposited 18
million on a fixed interest
account at the Kenya
Commercial Bank, and the cooperative
is being paid an interest of Frw 1
million each year,” says Mr. Jean Paul
Nduwimana, The President of the
Cooperative, that has other 18 million
francs deposited at Banque Populaire
du Rwanda and SACCO Umurenge.
The cooperative has a functional
supervision committee that examines
the books of accounts and produces
reports every three months to the
general assembly, while the accountant
is asked to produce a financial situation
report of the cooperative every month.
The cooperative started in 2005 and
obtained its legal status in 2013. It has
90 members including women (60 in
total). The members’ testimonies are
that their cooperative activities have
positively impacted their lives.
Godelieve Mukandori says that the
Cooperative gave her Frw 100,000.
She built a pig pen at Frw 50,000 from
the money, spent other Frw 30,000 to
purchases two pigs.
“That has changed my life,” she
says. “Now my family situation has
improved, I pay our medical insurance
subscription without any difficulties,”
she added.
To instill a spirit of hardworking the
cooperative has a system of rewarding
the best performers. Usually best
performersarerewardedbygivingthem
goats, and the poor performers pictures
are displayed at the cooperative office.
The poor performer picture can only
be removed from public display by the
decision of the general assembly.
Perseverancethatsaveda
cooperative
Without the
perseverance
of its members,
the cooperative
would have
gone bankrupt.
Nduwimana Jean
Paul, the coopera-
tive president.
The house owned
by Ubuzima
Umusingi w’Ama-
jyambere in Rusizi
town.
10. 10
Human Resources Management
A commercial building
of CHWs Rugarama next
Rwagitima market.
COBOSARU-IMBONI in Rugarama Sector, Gatsibo District is
among the few cooperatives established by Community Health
Workers to implement capacity building activities initiatives in
order to add value to its cooperative members. The cooperative
created a sub-committee in charge of training that helps in
capacity building initiatives.
Some of the capacity building initiatives the committee has
coordinated are study tours and training seminars for the
members as well as mentorship for the board of directors.
According to Mudaheranwa Didace, the President of COBOSARU-
IMBONI, the committee in charge of training has been a key in
the development of the cooperative in rising up the knowledge
of 174 members. The conducted induction trainings have been
so helpful enabling the members understand the structure of
the cooperative and mandate of every committee and members’
duties.
The committee sets an annual agenda of training and every
member is called to attend and that helps to be on the same
level of understanding. “…. we have initiated a sub-committee
in charge of training to rise up the level of understanding of our
members in leadership and management…”Mudaheranwa said.
A study tour to COPRORIZ Ntende was organized to learn on
how to improve on the management and leadership style of
cooperatives. Also a trainer has been hired to train the members
on management skills for cooperative in general.
The surveillance committee and tender committee have
also been created by the cooperative members and they are
supposed to be independent while serving the cooperative.
The cooperative has assets worth over 50,000,000 Frw these
include commercial building, plots in Rwagitima market, a
residential house, storage facility, car washing bay, etc. Within
3 years they plan to buy a truck for supporting their business
to outsize the market. Monthly reports are shared with the
district administration offices and a copy given to the Health
Centre Management and sector administration to ensure that
transparency is maintained. A special feature of this cooperative
is that its president is also the chairperson of CHWs at district
level.
Asiimwe Joy, a member of COBOSARU-IMBONI, says that gender
participation in the decision making process of the cooperative
is given great consideration. “Women in our cooperative have
been empowered and have capacity and confidence to compete
and lead…” Asiimwe said.
Adding value through capacity building
Members of COBO-
SARU-IMBONI in
discussions.
11. A milk treatment facility
worth in excess of 100
million francs and built
by the Union of coopera-
tives in Huye district.
11
Quickfacts
Business Implementation
Fifteen Community Health workers’
cooperatives in Huye district formed a
cooperative Union to known as “Agira
Gitereka “which built a milk collection
and treatment facility worth over 100
million francs.
The decision to create a union has
led to value generation, increase in
cost efficiency and market share for
the milk production business of the
cooperative. Each cooperative paid
13 million Frw to become a member.
Pierre Niyonsenga, the cooperative
Union vice president says: before
the Union was formed and the
facility built, cattle farming was not
generating income as it is now…”
As usual business merges hardly
benefit the public and that is why
Pierre Niyonsenga added that “….
before one liter of milk was being sold
between 150 Frw and 170 Frw, and
now the liter is at 210 Frw.”
The Cooperative Union has a capacity
to stock milk harvest for three days
before it is sold, while it also has milk
curding machines as it is in its initial
phase of installing advanced milk
processing facilities.
The union of cooperatives has
empowered the members to raise
their standards in cattle farming.
Veterinary doctors freely provided
by the cooperative union to the
members ensure that the growth
of their members’ cattle farming is
attained. Also, their milk products are
bought by the union at a competitive
price.
Virginie Mukantazinda a member
of the Union “Agira Gitereka” says
that the Union has changed the way
people in the area perceive cattle
farming.
“Before people thought that milk was
for domestic consumption without
knowing that it can generate income.
But now they are selling milk to this
treatment facility of the Union and
they are generating money,” she said.
The Union has generated profits to be
shared with members as dividend at
the end of the year.
Amilktreatmentfacilityworthover100
millionbuiltbyCHWscooperative
Ubuzima Umusingi w’amajyambere
(Rusizi)
Started in 2005 and obtained its legal
status in 2013. It owns a house in Ru-
sizi town bought in 2012 at 27,1 mil-
lion francs and generating Frw 300,000/
month in rent. The cooperative has 36
million francs as deposits on its accounts
at BPR and SACCO Umurenge.
Abakunda ubuzima
(Karongi)
(Karongi)
The cooperative started in 2008, and it
owns a seven-hectare land worth 10 mil-
lion. The cooperative is in coffee plan-
tation business, and it is a member of a
Union of cooperative in Karongi.
Shyigikira Ubuzima
(Rubavu)
The cooperative started in 2009 and it
owns two houses in Rubavu town worth
38 million francs. The cooperative has a
piggery pen with 26 pigs, and owns land
in Rubavu district.
Inama y’ubuzima Busasamana
(Rubavu)
The cooperative was created in 2009.
It owns three houses in Rubavu town
worth 49 million francs. They generate
275,000 Rwf per month in rent. These
assets wear gained from the Irish potato
farming business of the cooperative.
Inyenyeri y'ubuzima
(Burera)
The cooperative was established in
2008and it own a three-hectare land
worth Frw 12 million. In the recent sea-
son, they harvested 45 tons of Irish pota-
toes sold at 8 million francs and making
a profit of 1, 4 million francs.
12. 12
Business Implementation
Community Health Workers Cooperative in Mwendo sector,
Karongi district, in Western province known as “Abakunda
ubuzima Cooperative” is success story in the coffee business
since 2006.
The cooperative owns a coffee plantation on a seven-hectare
land worth 10 million in Mwendo sector.
Members of this cooperative proudly believe in themselves for
greater achievements and this is a best practice they possess.
For instance, they are aiming at raising the bar by installing a
small scale coffee washing and processing factory to counter
low value prices they are getting for the coffee they produce,
from local buyers.
To acquire knowledge that will enable them improve their
products, members of this cooperative undertake study tours
which exposes them to other peoples’way of doing business.
Learning from others is a policy they have integrated
within their cooperative. In a study tour they conducted to
Mubuga where there is a local coffee washing
and processing factory
they acquired shared
knowledge that will help
them achieve their next
plan of installing their own
small scale coffee washing
and processing factory.
The Cooperative Vice
President Josephine
Tuyisenge is proud of the
direction the cooperative
is taking whereby they aim
to generate more income
from their cooperative
business by investing
heavily in coffee value
chain.
In order to raise its profile, the
cooperative has paid six million and five hundred thousand
francs to become a member of a Union of cooperatives in
Karongi District.
The union is building a business house that the cooperative
president says it will bring benefits for the members.
Benefits
Sticking together has led to greater rewards for the members
as testified by some of the members of the cooperative.
Bankundiye Daphrose, 42, confesses that before she joined
the cooperative, it was very difficult for her to acquire the basic
needs for a living but now her lifestyle has improved.
She emphasizes: “before I didn’t have any single source of
income but now, I receive an income which enables me to
cater for the family’s basic needs”
Habimana David, 40, say:“I have achieved some targets since I
joined the cooperative. I acquired some livestock which I sold
afterwards to buy a land worth Frw 50,000. Before I joined the
cooperative, it was really hard for me to achieve anything. But
since I joined the cooperative my lifestyle has changed.”
Theogène Ndungirije,41, has been in the cooperative for
seven years. From the PBF he received, he says he was able
to acquire a plot of land worth 280,000 Frw while Deborah
Mushimiyimana, 35, says with savings from the cooperative
totaling Frw 100,000, was able to connect her house to an
electricity grid.
In union with other twenty-two cooperatives in the region,
Abakunda Ubuzima Cooperative is planning to build a
business complex worthy 330 million francs.
A coffee plantation owned
by Abakunda Ubuzima
Cooperative in Karongi
district.
A CHW cooperative in coffee
business
Deborah
Mushimiyimana
connected her
house to an
electricity grid.
13. 13
Community Health Workers in Gakenke
district, Janja sector in Northern Province
depend on mobile communication
technology in delivering their community
health services.
Theyuseittocollectdatafromthemembers
of the community through the use of
RapidSMS, especially regarding information
related to risks of maternal deaths, and
health issues of children less than two
years (age, weight, nutrition, height, etc). all
information gathered is sent to the central
server managed by the Ministry of Health.
Nevertheless, due limited electricity in the
area, they found difficulties to recharge
their cell phones whenever their batteries
went down. This affected their reporting
rate supposed to be shared through
RapidSMS.
Given that challenge, the “Abakunda
Ubuzima” cooperative decided to assist
some of its members to get access to solar
electricity to enable them perform their
duties effectively.
Agathe Mukakabera,50, a member of
the Abakunda Ubuzima says that “I got
solar electricity with support from the
cooperative which has enabled me to
Rapidly report by use of SMS….”
In solving the electricity energy problem,
“Abakunda Ubuzima” cooperative spent
about 800,000frw to help their members
solve the problem through provision of
solar energy as an alternative. Almost
16 of its members that were finding it
more difficult to report using the mobile
technology were relieved of the challenge.
Mukakabera adds: “We were told (by the
cooperative) to get solar electricity and
that required personal efforts; I couldn’t get
the required 100,000 Frw. The cooperative
said it shall lend us 50,000 Frw, and we
contribute the rest. The cooperative lent
me that money, and I have started to
repay. I can recharge my phone battery
now, I have light, I thank the cooperative
for this,” Nsabimana Gaston, secretary of
the cooperative’s board, says that “now we
always have fully charged phone batteries
and producing Rapid SMS reports on time
and the ultimate profit is that lives are
saved and also our families have electricity.
It is a big credit to the cooperative.” The
RapidSMS reporting has been effective in
communication especially when reporting
cases of malnourished children. Whenever
it is detected that there is weight faltering
or any other issue, the message is sent to
the central server for immediate action.
Owing to lack of electricity in the area yet
most the cell phone batteries need to be
rechargedtokeeptheirRapidSMSreporting
service operational, the cooperative
decided to facilitate its members with
solar panels and this has been of great
help. CHWs no longer travel long distances
to look for electricity to recharge their
batteries. The members of Abakunda
Ubuzima cooperative are thankful of this
intervention as a result of a return on
investments the cooperative made in its
various income generating activities. The
cooperative started in 2009 in livestock
but changed its business concept to selling
fertilizers. After realizing that goat farming
wouldn’t get the cooperative to higher
heights, members say that they realized
that there is demand for fertilizers within
their local markets and decided to go for
that.
Solar energy solution
16 members of the
cooperative received a
solar panel.
Quick facts
Cooperative COBOSARU
(Gatsibo)
Started in 2010. They have a huge
commercial building and other ac-
tivities generating incomes, next to
a known market of Rwagitima. Their
assets are estimated at above 50
Rwandan Francs. Apart from the ordi-
nary committees, they added anoth-
er one which is in charge of trainings
for capacity building of all coopera-
tive members.
Imboni za Nyamirambo
(Nyarugenge)
Started in 2008. Starting with a can-
teen at the Rugarama Health cen-
tre, every member paid a share of
5,000Frw each. They have a commer-
cial building and two for habitation
with an income of 350,000Frw per
month. They have 3 undergraduate’s
level members, which help them to
achieve their targets. Their assets are
valued at over 60 million Rwandan
Francs.
Amizero y’ubuzima Musambira
(Kamonyi )
Started in 2009 and it was given a le-
gal status in 2014. They started with a
project of 950 chickens produced of
600 eggs per day. Their target is 3000
chickens by end of this year. Month-
ly, the Cooperative gets 300,000Frw
and houses generate 79,000Frw. The
asset of cooperative has a value of 43
million Rwandan Francs.
KOARUNGE/KOAIRUNGE
( Ngoma )
The cooperative started its activities
in 2008, they have a big shelter con-
taining around 1136 chicken, the tar-
get is more than 3000 modern chick-
ens and at least produce 3000 eggs
per day. All committees are headed
by women. Their assets are valued at
around of 55 million Rwandan Francs.
14. 14
A Community Health Workers
Cooperative in Cyeza Sector known as
“Akeza k’i Cyeza” in Muhanga District,
has a small number of members but
productive. The cooperative has a
majority number of women compared
to men that is 34 to 17 women and
men respectively.
After forming their cooperative they
conducted a market study to inform
their decision on which business to
invest in. Their decision to orient their
business into maize flour production
was informed by a market study and
analysis as explained by the President
Mr. Bizimutima Vedaste.
“We realized that no one in the area
was trading in maize flour and yet
there was demand for the product. We
took the decision to start up a maize
milling business. Today our product
‘Akeza k’i Cyeza’is remarkable and our
customers in Muhanga and Kamonyi
districts like it. Our product is in fact
an answer to the people who used
to shop maize flour from Muhanga
which is a long distance…” says the
President of CHWs’ cooperative.
According to Mr. Bizumutima, “it
takes teamwork, transparency,
accountability and commitment
to sustain the survival of a small
membership cooperative like ours,
and this is what has kept “Turengere
Ubuzima Cyeza Cooperative
performing.”
He further
advises: “the
cooperative
is not a
one-person
b u s i n e s s -
t h e
Chairperson,
but all
m e m b e r s .
W i t h o u t
ow n e r s h i p
and close
follow up by
all members
t h e
cooperative may collapse any time…”
The cooperative member’s and
mostly women confess that their
cooperative has helped them develop
leadership qualities which they end
up applying in the communities they
live in to transform others people’s
lives.
These women are role models in
the community and have been
empowered to take on important
decisions even without consulting
their partners. Their ideas are valued
by the community because of the
confidence and self-esteem they
demonstrate.
Uwamahoro Rosette, a member
of CHWs’ cooperative Turengere
Ubuzima Cyeza, expressed: “I am
confident to stand in front many
people without fear, and share with
them my views without fear. I am
committed to give all my effort to
develop my cooperative and to work
hand in hand with fellow members.”
She further says that she feels totally
different from other women who do
not join cooperatives and serve as
Community Health Workers, because
her mind is open and her entire family
is healthy.
Besides benefiting from the
cooperatives business financially,
every member receives a sac of maize’s
flour to share with their families,
and also market the product to their
family members. The cooperative
has also expanded and diversified its
business into other ventures such as
piggery and cereals milling business.
Rutobwe Health Centre has been so
helpful in supporting the cooperative
to operate as a healthy business
guided by strategic and action plans
and market studies. Every member of
the cooperative is expected to receive
10.000frw and 25 Kgs of maize flour
from the cooperative on a quarterly.
Members have confidence in their
leaders because they believe in their
planning and visionary capacities
to maintain the growth and
development their cooperative.
Cooperative market analysis benefits
The produc-
tion house of
Turengeru-
buzima Cyeza
Cooperative.
Business ImplementationBusiness Implementation
Maize flour“Akeza k’i
Cyeza”attracts many
admirers in Muhanga
and Kamonyi Districts.
15. 15
Inyenyeri y’Ubuzima Cooperative in
Kinoni sector, Burera district, in Northern
province is investing in a facility that
will serve as a collection center of irish
potatoes. This initiative is a milestone
achievement that will add value to the
produce of irish potatoes in the area and
henceincreasethemarkettoyieldprofits.
The cooperative engaged PSDAG- a
Private Sector Driven Agricultural Growth
project supported by USAID to support
them to acquire of equipments worth
8,000,000 francs to set a potato collection
center in order to facilitate value chain
with stakeholder’s contribution 50% of
the total value.
The cooperative took the advantage of
the Ministry of Trade and Commerce’s
new strategy of marketing Irish potatoes
in Rwanda through potato collection
centers and this is intended to increase
small scale farmers to address the
challenges in selling their produce at a
fair price.
According to its members, Inyenyeri
y’Ubuzima cooperative had difficulties
to stock its harvest and used to find it
difficult to get seeds for the new season,
as they didn’t have a means to stock the
produce. In some cases, they had to sell
the harvest on losses, rushing to exhaust
it before it gets rotten, thus selling at
low prices. But now the cooperative
president Charles Nsabimana says that
the collection center and storage facility
will enable the cooperative to over
those challenges. “The equipment will
insure potato produce is properly sorted,
weighed, and packaged according
to the standards” says the President.
The cooperative facility, is going to
have greater impact as the cooperative
is looking to buy produce from local
farmers, stock the produce and resale it
to processing factories.
The cooperative’s produce in the resent
season was 45 tons of irish potatoes
which earned the cooperative around
8,000,000 francs. The Irish potatoes
plantation is on an eight-hectare land
including three hectares registered in
names of the cooperative while other five
hectares are leased.
A CHWs cooperative to own an irish potato
collection center
Charles Nsabimana
, Inyenyeri y’Ubuzi-
ma president.
Technical Support Effectiveness
16. “As Health Workers, you
are charged with fighting
diseases and ensuring
improved health of the
population. However,
you are also responsible
for other developmental
programs of the country”.
H.E President Paul
Kagame addressing the
Imbangukiragutabara,
August 2009.