Valentine’s Journey from Isolation to Confidence Through JP RWEE

In Ngoma District, Mukasengimana Valentine, 37, is rewriting her story of resilience. A mother of three suddenly found herself raising her children alone after her husband left. With limited income and heavy responsibilities, she often felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to move forward.

Her turning point came in 2023, when women from her community introduced her to the Joint Programme on Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE). Their testimonies of growth and opportunity inspired her to join, a decision that would transform her confidence, her livelihood, and her family’s future.

“Before joining, I stayed home all day and didn’t know how to interact with others,” Valentine recalls. “The programme opened my mind. I gained confidence, started socializing, and began participating in group activities.”

When JP RWEE arrived in Valentine’s community, she first learned about it through women who had already joined. They shared their experiences, explained how the programme worked, and encouraged her to become part of the group. Seeing how other women were benefiting gave her the courage to register and attend her first meetings.

After joining, Valentine took part in training in communication and leadership that showed her how to speak up in group discussions and participate in decision making. At first, she was shy, but with continued encouragement, she gained confidence and began actively contributing to decisions in her cooperative.

“I used to think groups were not for me,” she says. “Now I know that when you are in a group, you grow together.”

As she became more involved, Valentine also learned how collective saving works in her cooperative. Each member contributes a small amount every month, creating a shared fund that supports members in times of need. When a problem arises, she can request a loan from this fund and repay it gradually through her contributions.

Before joining the programme, Valentine believed she did not earn enough to save. In the past, her husband had discouraged her from joining savings groups and often scolded her whenever she attended community meetings. Despite this, she continued participating quietly, determined to improve her life.

Through JP RWEE, she strengthened her financial literacy through structured training sessions delivered during cooperative meetings. Facilitators used practical examples, group exercises, and real-life scenarios to explain budgeting, income management and saving. These sessions helped her learn how to track income, plan expenses and save consistently.

Today, Valentine saves with confidence, borrows responsibly when needed, and manages her household finances independently.

Valentine farms beans, sorghum, and cassava. Before, her farming practices were limited. She planted without spacing, did not use fertilizer, and had little understanding of soil conservation. The yields were small, often too little to meet her family’s needs.

Through JP RWEE, Valentine participated in practical training sessions delivered by field facilitators and fellow group members at demonstration plots in her community. She learned modern farming techniques through hands-on practice, group discussions, and field visits where trainers showed farmers how to plant in rows, use fertilizers correctly, conserve soil, and apply livestock manure to improve soil fertility. She also received guidance on planning farm activities seasonally so she could organize her work instead of farming without a clear plan.

Her results changed dramatically. From her 30m by 100m plot, she used to harvest around 50 kg of beans. Today, she harvests about 150 kg, even during a poor season. She sells a portion and keeps enough for home consumption. Her sorghum harvest also improved, increasing from one sack to three. She sells two and a half sacks and keeps the rest for her household.

Alongside farming and savings training, Valentine received an improved fuel-efficient stove through the programme. This small change made a big difference in her daily life.

“Before, I used to spend so much time collecting firewood,” she says. “Now the stove uses very little, and food cooks faster. It has reduced my work and gives me more time to focus on my farm and my children.”

The stove also keeps food warm for hours, which helps her manage evening tasks, attend meetings, and balances her responsibilities without rushing home to cook. For Valentine, this technology brought relief, dignity, and time; something she once lacked.

Valentine joined JP RWEE after becoming the sole provider for her three children. With improved harvests, consistent savings, and newly acquired skills, she achieved a milestone she once thought was impossible: building her own house. Her children’s school fees are now covered by her harvest sales, and her family’s well-being no longer depends on anyone else.

“After my husband left, the JP RWEE helped me progress. I was able to support my family and even build my home. I am very grateful.”