“The cooperative has made us wiser, we no longer beg for things from our husbands. We now work as a team to send our children to school, I can buy a pen for my child without needing to ask my husband. The cooperative has empowered me I no longer ask my husband to buy me a kitenge (dress material) as I can now buy it myself. All thanks to the cooperative and Rwacof that support us. We are 38 members in the cooperative but we also have a coffee plantation each. It was vital for the cooperative to create a joint farm and we now have 800 trees. Our goal is to continue aiming higher. What we would like from you is to always be beside us and support us,” said Godelive Nyinawingenzi, a 53-year-old mother of 6 and a member of Duhaguruke Dukore Cooperative.
Godelive is one of the 38 brave members who established Duhaguruke Dukore Cooperative, seeking a change in their lives.
Duhaguruke Dukore translates into English as “let’s stand up and work.” The cooperative was created by women who were not satisfied with being stay-at-home mothers with limited influence on household decisions. It comprises 38 members – 33 women and 5 men, and was established in 2007 with a monthly contribution of 100 francs per grower (which was equivalent at the time to 0.15$ per month.) Since then, they bought a plot of land where they planted 800 shared coffee trees.
These women are supported by Rwacof – Sucafina’s subsidiary in Rwanda, which buys their coffee cherries. Today, thanks to their dedication, perseverance, and strength, they are independent, empowered and most importantly entrepreneurs who are able to take leadership roles.
