MJCI-Shalom –Savings for life Success Story from Ruhango: NYIRATSINZE and her Family
Nyiratsinze Anathalie and her family are from Mbuye Sector in the district of Ruhango. She belongs to “Jyambereshalom” savings group. Nyiratsinze (55 years old), her husband (66 years old), and her daughter live contently in a small house that is almost finished construction! But 5 years before, things were very different. When asked to describe life before getting involved with this savings community through MJCI-Shalom, she said “Before joining this group; we were living but in misery, without a shelter and it was not easy to meet any basic need.”
Nyiratsinze Anathalie and her husband have been married since 2005 and are blessed with one daughter. They are happy to be together and to comfort each other, as her husband lost his first wife with eight children during the genocide perpetuated against the Tutsis in 1994.
Their daughter has a hearing impairment, and they are doing their best to support her studies. They are proud that she can study with everyone else at school in their community. Nyiratsinze joined “Jyambereshalom” savings group in 2017. She is currently saving 5200RWF ($3.6) per week. She makes money by collecting sand from the small nearby river. She, with her husband, get up early in the morning (5 A.M.) and start their daily work (collecting and transporting the sand) which generates their weekly contributions to “Jyambereshalom.”
During her first share-out, after one year, all her shares were equivalent to 110,000RWF and she (and her husband) decided to buy a young cow. After some time, they sold this cow for 230,000RWF, doubling their money, and put the money in CLECAM savings account – an institution meant to help with microfinances and keep their money safe. During the second share-out, her shares were once again equivalent to 110,000RWF and they bought another cow, this one was sold for 200,000RWF. The family was so proud of the money they have saved and how they have used their money to grow their savings even more. Nyiratsinze says: “Truly, the first cow was the starting point that began to make our dream a reality”. Her husband says that their first need was the shelter. As said above, their life was in misery before joining the saving group. “When we joined, we were targeting to own a shelter and we have made it real, for now, we are finishing the house with two rooms and a dining room” happily, they share their testimony. Their house is 21.5sheets and they are living in already.
Nyiratsinze and her husband are married since 2005 and now, they have one daughter. They are happy to stay together and comfort each other. Their daughter has a hearing impairment and they are doing their best to support her studies and they are happy that she finds almost everything she needs.
The goal of these savings groups is to help families save their money over the course of a year to invest it into larger assets or projects that they would not have otherwise been able to afford. For Nyiratsinze and her family, their biggest need was shelter. As Mentioned above, their lives were self-described as ‘misery’ before joining the saving group and they didn’t have their own shelter. Nevertheless, they joined with a dream of owning their own home, which they have successfully accomplished. Right now, they are celebrating the accomplishment of the house of two bedrooms and a dining room. This house is 21.5 sheets and they inaugurated it by December 2022 and are nowadays thinking of other long time projects generating income such as owning cows and other livestock.
Nyiratsinze and her family say that “they are thankful to MJCI-Shalom for accompanying the community in their daily lives and help them accomplish their goals. It is like MJCI-Shalom is putting spices in people’s lives, progressively providing a full package that leads to a peaceful and prosperous community”. Besides the savings groups, MJCI-Shalom provides other support, or ‘spices,’ such as family conflict resolution skills, peace building workshops, gender equality education, and many more.
It is always good to serve the community and help them make changes. It is a long journey that needs patience and commitment; not only these but the contribution of each and every one because when people join hands, they are able to achieve more. This work of peace and development towards the bright future is not a one person/institution task, this is why, you are invited to join MJCI-Shalom and reach many in need.You are welcome to join MJCI-Shalom in its activities with the community.
Author and photographer: Kubwayesu Gady
