Every few months, Seraphina Mujawamariya walks to a cluster of wooden beehives near Nyabiheke Refugee Camp in Gatsibo District to harvest honey. Mujawamariya fled conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo when violence erupted in her home village. Today, she lives in Nyabiheke Refugee Camp, where she has joined Twisungane Cooperative, a beekeeping group that brings together refugees and residents from nearby communities. “I never imagined I would keep bees,” Mujawamariya said. “Back home in Masisi, our family kept livestock. But after we fled the violence and came here, I had to learn something new to support my family.” The cooperative has 21 members, 11 refugees and 10 Rwandans, who manage 31 beehives. Each hive produces between 10 and 15 kilograms of honey every three months, providing members with a modest but growing source of income. With the introduction of modern beehives, members say they expect production to increase and hope to harvest more than 400 kilograms of honey. Beyond honey production, members say the cooperative has helped bridge the social distance that once existed between refugees and host communities. Daniel Cyiza, vice president of the cooperative, said working together has helped refugees feel more connected to the surrounding community. “Working with local residents helped us overcome the feeling of isolation,” he said. “Many refugees come with difficult experiences, but organising ourselves and working together gives us an opportunity to rebuild our lives.” Cyiza said the cooperative hopes to expand production and supply more honey to local markets. Nearby residents, including Jean Claude Bugingo, a resident of Nyabicwamba Cell in Gatsibo District, said interaction between the two communities was limited when refugees first arrived. “Before, people mostly kept apart,” he said. “Now we work together through cooperatives and even visit each other during community events.” Olivier Majopo, a refugee in Nyabiheke Camp, told The New Times that when the cooperative began, most members were refugees, as some already had experience in beekeeping from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “It was something we knew and thought could help us earn some income while living in the camp,” he said. Over time, residents from the surrounding community began joining the group. “Working together has helped us know each other better,” Majopo said. “Before, many people in the community did not interact much with refugees, but through this cooperative we meet regularly, share ideas and support each other.” Officials say initiatives like this are part of Rwanda’s broader approach to integrating refugees into local development. Gonzague Karagire, who oversees refugee programmes at the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), said development projects around refugee camps are designed to benefit both refugees and host communities. “Our goal is to support refugees so they can become more self-reliant while also contributing to the development of the areas where they live,” he said. “When refugees and host communities work together in initiatives like agriculture, livestock or beekeeping, they create livelihoods and strengthen social cohesion.” He added that investments in infrastructure and services are also meant to improve living conditions for both groups. “One of the key principles is that projects should benefit everyone in the community, not only refugees,” Karagire said. “That is why you see investments in schools, health facilities and other infrastructure in districts that host refugee camps.” Through the Jyambere Project, launched on August 14, 2019, with a budget of $84 million, refugees have gained access to initiatives aimed at promoting self-reliance. The project supports infrastructure and economic development in districts hosting refugee camps. According to officials, 274 of the planned 306 projects—about 89 percent—have already been completed. These include the construction of schools, health centres and other community infrastructure in Gatsibo, Gisagara, Karongi, Kirehe, Nyamagabe and Gicumbi districts.
