Group 2008 - 2009: give out April 2009
| Group 2009 - 2010: give out November 2009
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A large part of the Rwanda populaton is farmer. But drought and infurtile soil makes it difficult to cultivate and produce crops to feed the growing number of inhabitants. Distances for collecting water are high and cost for motorised transport increase rapidly. Therefore most people go on foot. People in Ngeruka region live in extreme poverty, making the lives of women extremely hard to generate income.
Nevertheless, part of these people has a clear idea on how they can use a bicycle to climb up out of this situation. Poor families in this rural area, with the breadwinner between the age of 25 and 50 jaar, who can get by on producing crops, who cannot buy a bicycle in one payment, but are able to pay in instalments and also have a clear idea on how they can utilise the bicycle to generate income, they can turn to la Nouvelle Vie for a bicycle on micro finance.
The goal is that beneficiaries will increase their income by increased sales of their crops and saving on transport costs. This money can improve their lives and cover basic necessities such as clothing, housing, and education of children. The project will also enable the families to improve and extent their current cultivation. In general will the bicycle improve their living conditions.
1 April 2009
After the succesful trainings on 15th of JanuarY (training in basic bicycle maintenance) and 31 January (micro credit) the bicycles are now handed over to the families in Ngeruka, Rwanda. The group beneficiaries have formed a cooperative of 50 men and women. This group is led by a board and is acknowledged by the local authorities. They have started the official registration. Half of this group has received a bicycle on the 21st of March. From the revolving funds from this group, the rest of the group will also receive a bicycle.
13 juni 2009
The first project in Ngeruka started early this year. The beneficiaries have formed a group, with a treasurer, chair and secretary. This group received a training from our patner organisation on saving and credit, how to use a bicycle to generate income, and bicycle maintenance and repair. The group has chosen for a repayment period of 18 months. Up until now, the payments are made on time and the first impact of the project on the lives of the beneficiaries can be seen. See the short video at the bottom of the page.
10 September 2009
Last July our partner organisation in Rwanda attended the meeting with all our partners in which we discussed the challenges and lessens learned of the different projects. One of the elements discussed was the repayment time. Many of partners had the experience that a relatively short repayment time works most effectively, since people tent to not take the repayments seriously when spread out over a long time. Our contact person in Rwanda reports that he has shared this with the group in Ngeruka who started the bicycle micro credit project with the intention to pay over 18 months. “The recipients committed to reduce the time of repayment that passed from 18 months to 6 months and the repayments are made themselves in an efficient way.” “Furthermore, the second group of people in Ngeruka are sensitized with regard to the credit bicycle and wait for the beginning of the project to be trained on the system of micro credit and the basis notions of bicycles repair and finally to receive the bicycles that they will have to repay according to the contract that will be made.” Cycling out of poverty is still fund raising for this new group of beneficiaries in Ngeruka.
23 October 2009
31 members of the Ngeruka cooperative have received a 2-day training by our partner organisation La Nouvelle Vie. On the 9th of October a training was given about micro credit and how to handle small savings. The opening ceremony was directed by the Executive Secretary of Ngeruka Sector representing local authorities who the asked participants to follow the lessons adequately. In fact it is for their advantage to know how institutions of micro finances function because currently according to the policy of Rwandan Government all people have to collaborate with the Bank to execute projects development. The given courses concerned: history of the micro finances and the present situation in Rwanda; the work of micro finance institutions; how to save and to have access to the various credits; financial documents necessary for a Cooperative and how to use them. At the end participants declared that they are satisfied with this seminary and committed to put in practice everything they learned concerning micro finances. On the 22nd of October a second training took place, this time on bicycle repair and maintenance. The lessons included: parts of the bicycle; maintenance of the bicycle: lubrication, brakes, inflation; how to use the bicycle: control of the weight and other orders; official documents for a bicycle; convenient modes: how to avoid damage bicycle, working hours. At the end recipients have been exhorted to put in practice everything that they learned so that their bicycles works a long time and bring back a lot of profits to their family. Participants committed to put in practice everything that they learned. The bicycles will be given out on the 3rd of November.
7 November 2009
On the 3rd of November 2009 31 bicycles were given out to 25 beneficiaries in Ngeruka Rwanda. At the day of the distribution ceremony the Pastor of the Parish welcomed everybody and invited the participants for the festivities. The president of the Cooperative Mrs Yvette Umugwaneza thanked La Nouvelle Vie for initiating this project and explained that everyone is do all what is possible in order to benefit to the project and all the family proving them all what they need. A representative of the Administrative Sector Ngeruka was present at the ceremony. During her speech the Representative expressed her joy with the project and the benefit it brings to the region in the fight against poverty. She finished while asking recipients to be honest and to pay at the right time so that the remainder of the group can also benefit from this good action. The funds raised for this project are doubled by Impulsis.
5 February 2010
In 2009 the first biycle-on-credit project in Rwanda started, in a place called Ngeruka. The plan is that the 31 beneficiaries pay their last installment at the end of this month. Our partner organisation La Nouvelle Vie mentions that up until now all payments have been made in time and that also the last payment is expected without any difficulties. Because the women have a bicycle now, their lives have changed. They use the bicycle to fetch water for the household, to bring products to the market and to buy other products and bring them home. The women are able to repair small defects on the bicycle. One major benefit of the bicycle for the women is that it saves them on transportation cost. Most of the households show improvements on their housings, clothing, and health care. La Nouvelle Vie plans to do a follow up project, for which Cycling out of Poverty is currently fund raising.
Your donations, big and small, are highly appreciated. Please mention "Ngeruka" on your transaction, and use the following bank details:
You can also use this online donation system. You can quickly, easily and safely transfer your donation to Cycling out of poverty. This transfer facility is hosted by "Geef Gratis". This organisation does charge an allowance of 10% for hosting. If you want the full 100% of your donation to go to Cycling out of poverty please use the transfer mentioned above.