People in different groups of the poor, those living with HIV/AIDS and the 1994 genocide against Tutsi survivors in Kamembe Mururu, Gihundwe, Giheke and Nkanka sectors in Rusizi district say that they are in the journey of becoming farmers.

They said this after being given 45 cows by Mission of Hope Rwanda (MOHR) Project on the support of Global Fund to get these people out of poverty as these cows will ensure their development.

Bertha Nyirabihizi a resident of Giheke sector and her fellows who were also given cows said that they will protect and take care of these cows and fight poverty when they are able to promote themselves and they will manage because they were trained about it.

For them it is like a dream come true as they are no longer called the poor but farmers and they are hopeful that they will never be affected by poor eating and their families will be free of malnutrition and they will able to pay their contribution for Mutuelle de santé medical insurance. And they will give their neighbours once these cows reproduce.

According to Scovia NARAME the coordinator of Mission of Hope Rwanda, In Rusizi district said that these cows will be of much importance to these people and their neighbours. The district and sector leaders were asked to make a follow up on these cows and how they are taken care of by the groups they were given.

Oscar Niyonsaba the veterinary doctor of Rusizi district asked those who were given cows to take good care of them as they will take them from one level to the other and he said that with the help of veterinary doctors in sectors, they will keep a close watch on these cows and they were warned about using the normal bulls for reproduction as they give no production.

Apart from giving cows to people, Mission of Rwanda Gave to every group 1.8 million francs to take care of these cows by buying medicine and all necessities while taking care of those cows.

 Kirehe district based cooperative namely Tuzamurane in Gatore Sector with 20 HIV/AIDS positive members have helped its members move in more achievement particularly in social welfare.

According to the chairperson of this cooperative Riberata Nibakure, ever since they joined this cooperative, they have made many achievements including coming together and fighting loneliness as most of them had been shattered from the world after learning of their AIDS statuses.

This cooperative also has members who are not HIV/AIDS carriers but who are poor and they work together to achieve development doing different projects.

The Gatore sector worker in charge of social affairs said that it easy for them to support these HIV/AIDS carriers who are in one cooperative and said that they support them in different projects like giving them cows in Girinka program so as to continue promoting themselves.

Innocent Harerimana a cooperative member said that they have a plan to sensitize other residents who would be infected by AIDS to join them in cooperatives as it gives them a plat form to socialize together and a chance to talk about their problems to people who understand them instead of leading a lonely life.

People living with HIV/AIDS in Bugesera district complain to have limitations in the cooperatives particularly lack funds to help them in their daily lives. 

Women in cooperatives

Stephanie Nyiramasengesho a member of ‘Twisungane’ cooperative in Nyarugenge sector in Bugesera district says that the infected people in this cooperative meet with a big problem to carry garbage.

She said that in this kind of work they do make it difficult for them to live with this disease. “Most of us are very weak to do work that needs labour like what we do which is to carry garbage on our heads and this makes it very difficult for us considering we are AIDS carriers.”

Valens Nyaminani a member of this cooperative said that people who support these cooperative should make reviews about cooperatives that do work requiring much labour and see what they can do for their members because it is too much for them.

He said that the work of cooperatives should be put into consideration regarding those who will do it so as not to get over worked as they don’t have good health and needs to be taken care of well.

Jean de Dieu Gasamagera the coordinator of AEE that supports and analyses projects that are productive to cooperatives of HIV/AIDS patients said that some of these cooperatives don’t have financial support.

Hope for Living organisation funded by Global fund has given pigs and goats to the cooperatives of the vulnerable people living with HIV/AIDS from four sectors in Gakenke district.

Hope for living coordinator and Gakenke district workers

During the meeting to reveal the achievements and future prospects held on February 27th 2012, Hope for Living disclosed that 150 goats and 40 pigs were given to cooperatives of people living with HIV /AIDS by the end of last year.

Hope for the living plans to continue giving live stock to the cooperatives in the second phase beginning with March 2012.

The cooperatives that received cows have opted for consolidated live stock keeping in order promoting the culture of working under cooperatives.

However, consolidated farming posed a problem to the goats which has made some beneficiaries relax as far as caring for goats is concerned. As a result some goats do not look healthy.

Hope for living trained 10 health workers that sensitised 1500 people on the advantages of circumcising and family planning as per the contract they had with Hope for Living.

Hope for living works in four sectors; Mataba, Mugunga, Minazi and Muyongwe of Gakenke district from 2011.