According to Marie Goretti Nyabenda in Burundi, about $2 worth of potato seeds, some support from her friends, and a total change in her husband’s attitude have all added up to making her the happiest woman in the world. She can leave home without waiting for permission, and she’s learning to read and write. Goretti says, "I wish that [Umwizero] could touch all the other women who are like I was before, so they can taste my happiness."
Goretti’s not alone. She’s one of 365,778 people who participated in Umwizero, a project that NORAD funded from 2006-2013. Happiness is just one of the benefit’s women receive. It turns out, the project has been good for women and their communities.
What have we accomplished?
- Women are more resilient: Women are 3.7 times more likely to use their VSLA social funds to cope with shocks than they were before the program, and 51% more likely to rely on their own savings.
- Families are more food secure: When a shock happens, women in the program are 94% less likely to have to reduce their consumption in order to deal with the economic crisis than they were at the beginning of the program.
- Women believe more in their rights: At the program’s end, women were 2.7 times more likely to believe they should be able to inherit land, and 50% more likely to believe they should control the same assets as men.
- Communities are stronger: 96% of women said that this program increased their social solidarity and felt that their community would support them in a crises (a 19% increase).
- Women make more decisions: Men in the program said that women’s ability to control decision-making increased by at least 20%.
- More independence in political action: There was an 87% increase in the number of women who felt that they could hold a different political view than their husband’s. In fact, some women are even running for office and getting elected
How did we get there?
- Empower women economically: The project used VSLAs (Nawe Nuze) so women have access to money to fund businesses, and use social solidarity funds in case of crisis.
- Engage men and boys: Umwizero worked with the Abatangamuco approach—which gets male champions to advocate for change—to challenge gender stereotypes and have communities reflect on gender and power.
- Teach life skills: Umwizero program in Burundi invests in building women’s financial skills and business acumen. Members also learn life skills, such as literacy and leadership, and are quick to apply them to their own and their families’ lives. Spéciose Ndahigeze says,
"Before, I saw no point in education. What would it change? Now, with all I have learnt and the training I have received, I know it is important. All three of my children started first grade this year." - Build women leaders: Each group selects a member with aptitude to become a trainer. With CARE’s support, they teach women to form additional savings and loan groups, thereby extending Umwizero even further. "Completely to my surprise, the women … chose me to be the community trainer," recalls Marguerite Nahimana. "This was a big responsibility. My self-confidence grew and I swore that I would never consider myself a person inferior to others."
Want to learn more?
Check out the great stories and quotes from Umwizero and other projects in the report Strong Women, Strong Communities.
Special Thanks
Umwizero was funded by NORAD for $3.8 million in phase 2 (2009-2013).