A total of 164 field agents, formerly community-based volunteers, have been certified and upgraded to ‘private service providers’ to improve the sustainability and scalability of the Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) groups in 10 districts where Gikuriro Kuri Bose, a five-year USAID-funded programme operates.

The districts are Nyabihu, Burera, Rulindo, Nyanza, Nyamasheke, Ngoma, Kayonza, Kicukiro, Nyarugenge and Rwamagana.

The programme is implemented by a consortium led by Catholic Relief Services, and four consortium members that include Humanity Inclusion (HI), UMUHUZA, Three Stones International (TSI), University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) and four sub-partners: CARITAS, African Evangelistic Enterprise (AEE), Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), and Duharanire Amajyambere y’Icyaro - Association pour le Développement Rural Intégré (DUHAMIC-ADRI).

The goal of this programme is to enhance the health, functioning, nutritional status, and well-being of women of reproductive age and children under six years old, with a focus on the 1,000-day period. It also seeks to promote the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities, as well as improve positive parenting and child development.

In Rwamagana District, last week, the Gikuriro Kuri Bose provided certificates to 28 field agents that support 1,147 Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) groups comprising 30,339 members, of whom 27,565 are women.

These Saving and Internal Lending Communities groups allow parents to save and access loans that enable them to meet their families’ nutritional needs and start income-generating activities.

The SILC groups created a transformational change by improving access to savings, loans, or share-out profit, enhancing community investment in small businesses, improving food purchases, access to livestock, agriculture inputs, land and housing improvements.

As of June 2023, in 10 districts where Gikuriro Kuri Bose operates, there are 8,039 savings groups with 210,101 members, of whom 184,507 are women, that saved up to 1,929 Million RWF with more than 80% of the savings given out to members as loans.

The private service providers (PSPs) will continue to provide SILC groups with financial services and management advice. They will also offer support on how to start income-generating activities and connect them with financial service providers such as banks and micro-finances for accessing their services.

"The field agents were trained and coached in a period of one year after which they went through a certification exam before getting certified as private services providers. They will continue to improve people’s welfare through savings and lending education. In addition to the existing savings groups, they will also help to create new Savings and Internal Lending groups in the community.

"They will link the groups to financial institutions and help create small income-generating activities that create jobs,” said Emmanuel Nsengiyumva, Cluster Manager of the USAID-funded Gikuriro Kuri Bose programme.

He said the agents were also trained in constructing kitchen gardens, preparing balanced diets, promoting gender equity, combating gender-based violence and family conflicts, and including people with disabilities, among other things.

"We hope that under the support of the private service providers, there will be more savings and lending groups created to ensure food security and improved nutrition at the family level and help reduce poverty,” he said.

The SILC group members observe how their involvement has impacted their lives by granting them loan access, enhancing their families’ nutrition, and enabling them to initiate businesses.

"We have gained the capacity to create and promote savings and lending groups which will help increase food security and families’ economic development while promoting gender equality. We can create business plans for small income-generating projects. We have gained financial literacy and bookkeeping skills,” said Cyprien Habineza, a certified private service provider.

He said that skills in making kitchen gardens will eradicate malnutrition and that they started an initiative of having one chicken per family to provide eggs amongst SILC groups’ members.

"We also have a target to buy one cow per family for SILC members,” he said.

The private service providers have committed to meeting every month to share experiences on how to improve group performances.

"We commend Gikuriro Kuri Bose and its partners for the support,” Habineza said.

Jeannette Mukabakina, a certified private service provider from Muyumbu sector, Rwamagana District, added: "I acquired skills on how to design a business plan for a small income-generating activity. Members of the groups I support are already making baskets, bags, soaps and more. Some are in agribusiness.”

Prudenciene Nyirabujangwe, a member of a SILC group in Rwamagana District, said the groups have ensured food security and good nutrition in the families.

"Whenever I have any need, I acquire a loan from the group and pay after three months. The group helps me afford nutritious food for my granddaughter with a disability,” she said.

Theoneste Ntirenganya, another member said he used loans from the SILC group for his family’s well-being and development.

"I renovated my house and its value increased from Rwf10 million to Rwf20 million. As men, we have also formed a sub-group aiming to promote gender education among fellow men and to combat gender-based violence,” he said.

Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi, the mayor of Rwamagana District, said the savings groups are helping residents escape poverty.

"Gikuriro Kuri Bose has created jobs and businesses in Rwamagana. The programme is in line with our vision to eradicate poverty and ensure self-reliance,” he said.

Gikuriro Kuri Bose currently has 2.17 million participants nationwide, with 416,791 children under the age of six. The programme encourages community involvement, allowing participants to engage in integrated nutrition and health promotion activities that enhance their overall health and well-being.