RWAMAGANA - A group of rural women leaders in Rwamagana District, Eastern Province have vowed to end poverty in their respective communities.  

The women made the resolution during a two-day women leaders’ workshop last week, held to discuss the implication of the International Women’s Day in rural Rwanda. 

The day was celebrated across the country yesterday.
The workshop was organised by the East Africa Dairy Development (EDD) based in the Eastern Province. 
Odette Uwingabire, a women leader in Rwamagana noted that the level of women’s awareness of their rights, has greatly improved in rural areas. 

"We are set to end hunger, diseases, lack of clean drinking water, illiteracy and women’s health issues in our communities,” she said. 

Geoffrey Mushaija, the Executive Secretary of Rwamagana, said that empowering women has helped communities increase and sustain economic development.  

"Women are doing well after pushing aside all traditional social stereotypes and prejudices against them. We shall keep pushing them to further heights for the good of our country,” he said. 

He observed that granting women more rights and opportunities enables them to receive more education, thus increasing the overall human capital of the country. 

Celestin Nyamutamba, an official from EDD, said that the fact that women have contextualised the importance of farming, signals that they will help the nation to develop. 
He said that most women in the rural area are engaged in dairy farming that has helped households significantly reduce poverty. 

"We have established dairy cooperatives involving women in most parts of the province. For instance, there are no more signs of malnutrition and poverty is reducing,” he said.

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