Gender Action Learning system tackles family conflicts, improves rural livelihoods

Elias Hakizimana Jun 30, 2023 0 Comments

By Elias Hakizimana.

Many rural families in Rwanda depend on Agricultural and livestock activities that affect the entire community as Agriculture occupies 70 percent of the national economy, however, family conflicts remain a major threat to the outcomes of this economic sub-sector.

Some married couples misunderstand and misuse gender equality principle as each or one partner among the spouses strives for own properties and hide some from his/her partner instead of joining efforts for a common family development. This, according to testimonies, in return affect wellbeing of livestock especially cows as they are not looked after by a wife and a husband.

Gender Action Learning System (GALS) is one of the solutions to this problem and its good implementation has been proved to improve livestock farming and to boost dairy produce.

GALS is the initiative by Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) designed to educate married couples living in conflicts to change their negative behaviours through drawings. It is implemented in various parts of the country, including Nyagatare, Musanze, Ruhango and Nyanza districts since 2017 when the RDDP IFAD-funded Project under the Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Board (RAB) through the Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) was established.

***Some married couples in Nyagatare district who benefited from GALS initiative.***

George Rumanzi, a citizen from Karungi village, Kamagiri cell, Nyagatare sector in Nyagatare district says how life was improved after learning through GALS and decided to share properties and money with his wife.

“I used to sell the family properties to drink beer, and I had a hidden cow and a bank account, after understanding GALS philosophy, I revealed the cow and registered my wife in the book account, she also revealed to me her saving scheme ‘IKIBINA’ which she hided from me before. She also brought two more cows from her parents and we have now three cows that give 18 liters of milk every morning,” he says.

This family has managed to build 50 iron sheets’-house from 8 iron sheets because they joined efforts to work for a common family development. They have three children, two sons and a daughter who are studying in good schools.

Teddy Kagwera, the mother of three children from Nyagatare sector was also living in conflicts with her husband and could not respect him.

“There was no love and peace in our family, I could not respect my husband and I could not feed the cows, all the household cores was on his shoulders and I had a hidden saving scheme with a plan to abandon him and I was the one to cause the conflicts, we later learned through GALS peer education and I changed, we now work together and our dairy produce from two cows increased from 20 to 50 liters.

**Teddy Kagwera is a good example of women who changed behaviours towards good relationships with husbands, thanks to GALS programme.**

Josiane Uyisenga, GALS facilitator in Nyagatare district says that the initiative helped married couples to set common objectives, to improve relationships, to increase livestock produce and to foster gender equality that leaves no one behind in the family.

**Josiane Uyisenga, GALS facilitator in Nyagatare district during the interview with the media.**

“Dairy produce was very low, no citizen who had a cow could exceed 10 liters of milk per day before GALS education, we educated 116 champions who also educated others in their respective saving and loan associations. The impact of GALS reached 735 people in Nyagatare, Rwimiyaga, Mimuri and Karangazi sectors.” Uyisenga said.

Same initiative was implemented in Musanze and Ruhango districts and testimonies show remarkable changes.

“My husband had hidden me a plot and a bank account, he could sell a cow and save the money, I was the one to keep the account book but I was not registered in, I could not cater for the cows because they could benefit him alone, my properties were maize and beans, that I could sell and save the money on my own account,” says Annonciatha Nyirazaninka from Bihinga village, Kabazungu cell, Musanze sector in Musanze district.

Jean Bosco Nsababera, another citizen from Musanze sector used to sell the whole milk quantity (8L) and put the money in his pocket to enjoy his own potentials.

His wife Angelique Nyirabashyitsi ignored to feed the cow because she could not see its benefits. GALS helped them to re-establish relationships. “We bought a farmland, a forest and constructed a house.” She says,

Impacting couples in Ruhango

Anita Kabazayire and his husband Paul Habagusenga were among 27 families who were living in conflicts in Buhoro cell, Ruhango sector who share the success after a long time living in conflicts based on prostitution and excessive beer consumption of the husband.

***Anita Kabazayire and his husband Paul Habagusenga have also impactful testimonies.***

“We have been living together for 4 years and we have one little kid of around 3 years of age. I was the one to look after the livestock while the husband used to sell them to enjoy the money with his prostitutes. He learned from GALS and changed, now we are working towards a common progress of our family,” Kabazayire says.

“I found that I was mistreating my wife then I changed slowly with GALS lessons,” Habagusenga noted.

According to Marie Jeanne Uwingeneye, Executive Secretary of Buhoro cell in Ruhango sector, 27 families who were living in conflicts in 2022 are living in harmony and sharing common benefits.