{"id":39621,"date":"2023-04-11T14:17:13","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T14:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rearing-small-livestock-lifts-over-1000-gicumbi-residents-from-poverty"},"modified":"2023-04-11T14:29:23","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T14:29:23","slug":"rearing-small-livestock-lifts-over-1000-gicumbi-residents-from-poverty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/economy\/rearing-small-livestock-lifts-over-1000-gicumbi-residents-from-poverty","title":{"rendered":"Rearing small livestock lifts over 1,000 Gicumbi residents from poverty"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Over 1,000 residents in different sectors of Gicumbi district have lifted themselves out of poverty by embracing the rearing of small livestock.<\/p>\n

The initiative has helped to end malnutrition in many households, including that of Odeth Iribagiza, who now no longer has to worry about her children’s stunted growth due to poverty.<\/p>\n

After receiving 10 chickens, Odeth Iribagiza has ended stunting in her home and has managed to<\/p>\n

increase income from the sell of eggs. Photo: Emmanuel Nkangura.<\/p>\n

According to her, rearing chickens has helped her to end malnutrition in her family, besides that she also said that she has managed to enroll her children back in school after a gift of 10 chickens from her neighbor Phoebe Nzamukosha.<\/p>\n

She said, \u201cFor many days, I wondered how long my children would remain stunted because I was poor. I could not afford the costs of buying eggs, but nowadays malnutrition has become history at my home, my children eat eggs as they want, I am no longer included in families with stunted children in my village, thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture and Prism Project, we are living a healthy life.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ministry of Agriculture’s Prism Project is partnering with Gicumbi District to empower poor rural men, women, and youth to participate in the transformation of the Rwanda livestock sub-sector and enhance their resilience. The project, which aims to reduce poverty, reaches 15 districts and targets to benefit 26,355 poor and food-insecure rural households with low income, targeting 337,500 households by 2026.<\/p>\n

Before the initial pass on gifts, chosen members recieve Support to construct animal shelter from graduate fellows<\/p>\n

The program has helped to reduce stunting figures since its implementation, according to Parfaite Uwera, the Vice Mayor in charge of economic development in Gicumbi District. Uwera notes that besides fighting malnutrition, the project has also introduced self-reliance where poor families are graduating from relying on government aid.<\/p>\n

The Agriculture Ministry in partnership with Prism forecasts to purchase 33,750 chickens this financial year, which will help alleviate 337,500 citizens in 15 Districts including; Ruhango, Huye, Gisagara, Nyaruguru, Nyamagabe, Gicumbi, Burera, Musanze, Gakenke Rulindo, Nyamasheke, Karongi, Rutsiro, Ngororero, and Nyabihu from poverty.<\/p>\n

Besides chicken, other small livestock including sheep are distributed by Prism project to alleviate women from poverty in Gicumbi, Northern Rwanda<\/p>\n

Some of chickens that were distributed to the beneficiaries. Each beneficiary received 10 chickens, the breed is chosen and resistant to severe diseases that has proved increasing wealth for poor rural women. Photos by Emmanuel Nkangura<\/p>\n

Gicumbi, where a pass on chicken gifts strategy, is fighting malnutrition and promotes self reliance to poor communities<\/p>\n

Vestine Mukandoli, a resident in Gicumbi attributes her development to the pass on gift strategy<\/p>\n\r\n