Supporting genocide widows

Victorine Mukabadende is a 66 year-old genocide widow who participated in the 18-month project aiming to improve her livelihood, psychological resilience and food security.

Victorine participated in the entrepreneurship training provided by the project and applied for loans from Urwego Bank to start a business. Also, she is among the project beneficiaries who received a kitchen garden.

“Before joining this project, I was amongst the poor women from this community. I had nothing to do to generate income for my family, and life was not easy at all. After joining we had a very useful training on entrepreneurship where we were taught about starting business and I came up with an idea of setting up a small boutique as a business. I participated actively in a savings group while attending training. I personally benefited from joining this project as I had experienced trauma because of the poverty in which I was living, and because I was always thinking about the past. But with the counselling support I felt comfortable enough to be able to apply for a loan of $185 which I was awarded which enabled me to implement my idea. I now am generating monthly profit after expenses of between $40-45. I have received 2 chickens as well at the outset of the project, and I now have 11 chickens. I am able to eat and sell eggs to get money to support my business by selling surplus eggs, which has improved my living standards. On top of that I have received some money to set up a kitchen garden, which is very important to my family. We used to buy vegetables at the market, but now I am able to grow everything I need at home”

Victorine is very thankful for the achievements through the project and believing her life has changed in a significant way due to the support she has received during the lifespan of the project. She will continue to work hard by adding more items in her boutique.