The project’s activities started in four target districts of Burera, Gakenke, Gicumbi, and Huye in Northern Province and Southern Province respectively, with awareness workshops at Sector level and training of Sector officials and Social and Economic Development Officers (SEDOs) followed by village meetings conducted in each target village during which villagers selected Community Based Facilitators (CBFs).
The interactive workshops intend to build social inclusion enabling target villages to have an agile way to provide feedback and information about their villages to deliver better-improved livelihoods.
Sada Murekatete, a CBF from Gaseke Cell said the FCAP training equipped her with facilitation skills that will enable her to better train other village members and change their pathway-related behaviors, hence ensuring the future development for their village.
“We have learned that the development starts from a concept to a village project. As a facilitator, I will engage my village in participatory planning to assess development challenges and prepare a village project built from existing resources and opportunities”, she mentioned.
Brigitte Mukakamari, one of the village members in Gaseke Cell, Mutete Sector said that the ACE project is an additional asset to her farming activities. “The project will help me to increase agricultural productivity and enhance household food production”, she said.
Rosine Nishimwe, Spark Microgrants’s Trainer in Mutete Sector, Gicumbi District said that the training was launched to build the confidence of SEDOs and CBFs and refresh their knowledge in the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP) sessions.
“During village meetings, an overview of the ACE project was discussed as well as the role of CBFs, commonly known as Inyenyeri – two volunteers elected by village members- including one para-social worker to monitor the village programs throughout the pathway,” Mrs. Nishimwe said, adding that 76 Inyenyeri from 38 villages were trained in two phases.
Nishimwe explains that in the first phase, SEDOs trained CBFs from 19 villages under the technical support of Spark Microgrants’s staff, and in October 2021, concluded the second phase, which involved 19 Inyenyeri from 19 remaining villages.
Dr. Joseph Nzirorera, the Agronomist of the Kinyababa Sector, states that the population is eagerly awaiting the ACE Project, which is expected to improve this sector’s social cohesion and development.
“During different meetings, we discussed development challenges in our sector and key areas of priorities. We expect that the ACE project will help to address challenges facing our region”, Mr. Nzirorera stressed.
Nkundabaganwa Sosthène, one of Inyenyeri in Gaseke cell, Mutete Sector said that the training equipped him with skills to better organize the development plans supported with clear objectives, starting with his own family.
“This includes tangible projects that guide my engagement in the pathway, which will therefore help me to apprehend the needs and challenges of village members I will train”, he said.
On the other hand, the SEDO of Gaseke cell confirmed that the ongoing training is the pillar to village-led planning and development ahead of the project implementation phase.
He noted that village members take advantage of the meeting to identify local development opportunities that will guide their villages’ selection of development projects.
“The training received aimed at empowering village members and equipping them with skills and knowledge in developing projects that will last longer even after ACE Project. Spark Microgrants aims to reinforce projects initiated by villagers themselves”, he noted.
He also observed that Spark Microgrants promotes an approach that encourages communities to select viable and environment-friendly projects.
The Advancing Citizen Engagement Project (ACE) project officially launched September 22, to support small businesses creation to improve livelihoods and strengthen social cohesion for around 76,000 people across 249 rural poor villages through small grants and village-based facilitation.
Through the FCAP, the project is meant to build capacities of each target village for planning, financial management, and advocacy skills to plan and execute the collective project.
During the village meeting in Kaganda Cell, Kinyababa Sector, Habanabakize Pierre Celestin, and Cell’s SEDO encouraged villagers to increase profits from the projects that each village will select.
“Projects that you wish to select should aim at addressing development challenges in your respective villages. The ACE project will last for two years and the third year for phasing out. If the grant of 7,600,000 Rwf given to each village does not make around 25million in that period that will be considered as failed projects”. He advised community members.
He also encouraged villagers to regularly and actively participate in village weekly meetings, which will increase their knowledge of enhancing participation in village savings and make their projects more resilient.
A total of 173 people of whom 85 are women have been trained in Mutete and Kinyababa sectors. They include 140 CBFs, 9 SEDOs, and 24 Sector officials.
The project is an initiative of Spark Microgrants, implemented through the collaboration of the World Bank, Spark Microgrants, Comic Relief, and Governments of Rwanda and Japan. A total population of 152,645 will benefit from the project in terms of improved village planning and engagement with local government.
This will include an enhanced understanding of access to government social protection programs through engaging residents in project proposals that respond to the social development and priorities of their villages.
The US$6 million projects are meant to strengthen citizen engagement, support livelihoods and income generation in rural areas.
It will also provide training and support to government officials on how to engage citizens in local development planning at the national and local levels. Working in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government, this practical experience will inform a new national framework on participatory village planning.
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