Rwanda: #3xRenewables for Women Empowerment and Sustainable Development
A Change is Taking Place
In the rolling hills of Rwanda's Eastern Province, a group of resilient women has transformed their small farm into a catalyst of change for their community.
Farming with lack of water access
In Bugasera District, lack of access to water for irrigation resulted in more tasks, longer work hours, less produce and lower quality crops.
On drier days, the female farmers struggled to find water, forcing them to leave their crops without water for up to two days.
Walking long distances to get water
The local farmers needed to walk to a nearby lake to get water. Carrying heavy watering cans every day took its toll on their health and wellbeing.
Due to exhaustion from long hours in the sun and a limited water supply for the fields, they could only manage to cultivate a small plot of about 30 meters.
From hardship to efficiency
But things changed when the women started a solidarity fund in 2023, or Ikimina as it is locally known. Through Ikimina, they purchased a solar-powered irrigation system for shared use on the farm.
The new irrigation system completely changed the way they work; less hardship, fewer working hours, and expanded plots of land to farm on.
Reliable Water Access Equals Higher Productivity
The expanded reach of the solar-powered irrigation system allows the women to work on bigger plots, ranging up to 150 meters of farmed land.
Previously, the female farmers had to rent a petrol-powered pump, causing pollution and taking away from their hard-earned profits.
More yields, better harvest
Today, the farm produces better quality tomatoes, green beans, amaranths and chilli peppers in larger quantities.
“The chilli we produce now are really beautiful and very different from the ones we harvested before we had solar power,” said Mukabatesi, one of the female farmers.
The chilli is now being exported to China, increasing the farmers’ income. This allows them to cover their children’s school fees, buy daily necessities, and purchase items they could not even imagine having before, like televisions.
“Working together for sustainable growth”
“The solar power will help us to achieve so many things. We have enough strength to achieve sustainable development," said Mukabatesi again.
The farm stands as a testament to the power of collective effort. The women’s story is one of empowerment, resilience, and the transformative impact of renewable energy on a community striving for a brighter future.
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