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By Annonciata Byukusenge
Residents who once struggled to survive by working on neighbors’ farms say a livestock initiative under the PRISM project has significantly improved their lives. Many say they no longer depend on casual farm labor but are now building their own livelihoods and even employing others.
Jeannine Nyirahabimana, a beneficiary of the PRISM project, lives in the Nyaruteja village, Nyanza sector, in the Gisagara District. She says that the first time she ever owned livestock was when she received it through the program.
“In my life, I often went hungry because I was destitute and had no reliable food. It also affected my child, who suffered from illnesses linked to malnutrition. I started raising chickens in 2022 after receiving them from PRISM. Eating meat or eggs used to feel like an impossible dream because the small wages I earned from working on other people’s farms were not enough to feed my family properly.”
PRISM gave Nyirahabimana 10 chickens. She raised them until they matured and began laying eggs, improving both her children’s nutrition and the family’s overall health.
Over time, the chickens and eggs became a source of income. She sold older birds and began raising day-old chicks. Her poultry activity gradually expanded until she was able to raise about 200 chicks.
Her experience mirrors that of Deogratias Hashimamungu, another resident who received two goats from the PRISM project.
“The project gave me two goats. I raised them, and they reproduced. Once they started multiplying, I passed on some offspring to other beneficiaries, and that’s when I realized it was possible to build a better life starting with those goats.”
Hashimamungu previously survived by working on other people’s farms. Today, however, he employs others as his herd has grown to 41 goats.
Jean Paul Habineza, Gisagara district’s vice mayor in charge of economic development, said that the PRISM project has played an important role in improving residents’ livelihoods.
“We appreciate the support from PRISM in helping our citizens progress economically. Those who received small livestock are now helping others escape poverty by passing on animals and sharing the skills they have learned.”
He added that beneficiaries were also trained in several areas, including preparing balanced diets, resolving family conflicts, and producing animal feed such as azolla and hydroponic fodder.
PRISM is a project jointly implemented by the Government of Rwanda in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), through the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), and implemented under the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).
